Long Live Evil
by CarVie16
Summary: Part 2 of "Forever Wicked". CJ Hook has returned and is looking to take over Auradon, aided by her crew of villain kids. She also has a second goal, one that pushes Mal to resort to her old, wicked ways to save the day. What happens after she suffers a tragic experience that changes her forever? (Sequel to "The Kids From The Isle")
1. Ahoy!

**Here it is, ladies and gentlemen. Part 2 of my new Descendants FanFiction series. This was originally planned to be Part 1, but I thought I should explore the friendships and relationships that the VKs have forged before I move on to the "good vs. evil" excitement. As promised, this story will be bigger than the last one. It's up to you to determine if it's better.**

 **Read, enjoy, and review. Feedback is always appreciated. (If you're late, don't hesitate)**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the final chapter of "The Kids From The Isle": DragonEmperor999, Bal-Breelice04081998, disneyfananalyst, top story, Bal-Breelice09121994, Wolf, TheLifeStruggleIsReal, TheGreatGodzilla, 61394, CarvieCamfia**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Descendants.**

 **WARNING: Rated T for violence and themes**

In the waters surrounding the infamous Skull Rock, you can find a small number of fish swimming around, staying clear of the skull-shaped island in fear of crocodiles that can swim over and snap their jaws at them. One unusual sighting is a body dropping from above and sinking to the bottom. A teenage girl with purple hair wearing a purple leather jacket with shades of green and gold beads.

Anyone from Auradon to the Isle of the Lost can recognize this person as Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. Her eyes are slowly closing and the wound on her left abdomen is leaking blood all over the water.

 _"I know what's going through your mind. What happened? Why am I drowning? Why am I bleeding? Is this the end of my story? Before I answer these questions, I want you to ask yourself something. Have you ever gone through an experience so life-changing, the person you see in the mirror afterwards is a whole new different person? If you think I'm talking about coming to Auradon and meeting Ben, you thought wrong. I'm talking about something else. Something that feels terrifying and liberating at the same time. There are some who have come back from where I've gone, but none of them truly understand what it feels like to climb back up to the light after being buried deep in the dark."_

* * *

 _Seven days ago..._

It's common knowledge that the magical barrier surrounding the infamous Isle of the Lost was created to keep the villains on the island locked up forever for the safety of the people of Auradon. There are only two ways to open it. One is Fairy God Mother's magic wand, the very object that created the barrier. Two is a remote that punches in a code of deactivation. The wand is safely kept in the Museum of Cultural History, and the remote is hidden in the King's office.

One day, however, someone had stolen the remote.

The thief is currently riding towards the Isle of the Lost on a small rowboat, heading straight for the docks. One push of a button on the remote and the invisible barrier opens, allowing this mysterious person to dock the boat next to the large ship known as the Lost Revenge. This person exits the boats, reactivates the barrier, and begins walking through the smelly streets and towards Ursula's Fish and Chips shop, attracting attention along the way.

Inside the chip shop, Harry Hook, son of Captain Hook, and Gil, son of Gaston, are taking orders and serving food to their poor customers. Ever since Uma had escaped, Ursula had forced the two of them to take over her daughter's job in the shop. They had to accept it because she threatened to make them suffer. Ursula may not have magic on the Isle, but she did have tentacles and she was not afraid to use them.

While waiting for the cook to finish with the next order, Harry watches the Auradon News Network on the TV, since it's one of the only two channels available on the Isle. The latest news was of Auradon Prep's End-of-the-Year celebration. He can see all the students dressed in formal attire, wearing smiles that make him sick. His attention was caught by footage of Mal dancing with King Ben. It was clear that she was very happy, which also made Harry sick to his stomach.

"One day, Mal. One day, I'll wipe that smile off your face," said Harry, pressing his hook against the screen.

"Hey, Harry, two more orders of fried clams," Gil called, holding up a piece of paper in front of the pirate's face.

Harry takes the paper and pushes Gil away from him, causing him to bump into a pirate, knocking him off his seat.

"Hey, I know you're upset that Uma hasn't come back, but you don't have to take it out on me," said Gil.

Harry wishes he can use his hook on Gil, but he resisted, knowing it wasn't worth it. Just as he was about to send the latest order to the cook, he heard a familiar voice from above.

"Ahoy!"

Someone comes swinging down from the ceiling using a rope, landing on a table, squashing a pirate's meal under her boot.

"Well, well, well," he said with a creepy smile on his face. "Calista Jane Hook. Fancy seeing you."

"Likewise, Harry," said CJ, winking at her older brother.

Suddenly, two pirates grabbed CJ and held her against the wall. Harry puts on his pirate hat and shines his hook as he approaches his sister.

"You got some nerve showing up here after so long," said Harry, holding her chin up with his hook.

"I take it you saw me on TV," said CJ.

"Saw you crashing that Neon Lights Ball, yes, I did," said Harry. "I must admit, you impressed me. Tricking all those Bore-adon kids into turning on Mal. That was pure evil."

"Of course you're impressed," said CJ vainly.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hook you right here, right now," said Harry, feeling bitter against his sister. He has felt like this because of his belief that she had abandoned her family.

"I came here to set you free," said CJ.

"Is that so?" Harry removes his hook from his sister's chin.

CJ frees herself from the two pirates and shows Harry a remote.

"I stole this from King Benny's office. It's a remote that opens the barrier," said CJ.

"So, we can escape?" Harry asked.

"We can all escape," CJ confirmed.

Instead of celebrating, Harry holds his hook in front of his sister's face again.

"I know you, sis. You want something from me," he said. "What is it?"

"I have a ship now. I found it at Skull Rock. All I need now is a crew, not to mention a first mate," said CJ.

"And you want me to be that first mate?" Harry guessed.

"I free you, you owe me. That's how it works," said CJ. "What do you say, bro? You want to get out of here and sail the seas with your dear sis?"

"The pirates in this shop, they're Uma's crew. They still are," said Harry.

"Still obsessing over her, aren't you?" CJ teased. "I can see why you're so on edge tonight. Poor little Harry's sad that his beloved Uma hasn't come back for him."

"Keep talking, sis," Harry dared, keeping his hook close to his sister's face as a warning. "As long as I'm around, these men and women stay loyal to Uma."

"I'm not looking for a pirate crew, Harry," said CJ. "I'm looking for a _villain kid_ crew."

"Why?" asked Harry. "You need a great number of pirates if you want to take over Auradon."

"Numbers aren't everything, Harry," said CJ. "One of the things I learned in Auradon is that sometimes, quality beats quantity. You would know that, of course. You and Uma had, like, a dozen pirates or so at your disposal and yet, you got your butts kicked by Mal's gang and a couple of Auradon kids."

Harry was surprised that CJ knew about their defeat at the hands of Mal and her friends a couple months ago. Clearly, she's been watching, that's all he can guess.

"You do realize that you're wasting a golden opportunity, sis," said Harry. "You have the means to free everyone from this cursed rock. Why only me and a few other villain kids? Think of what father would say. He would finally be proud of you."

"Our father, our parents, they're yesterday's news, Harry," said CJ. "We're the new generation. It's our turn to shine. I do intend to free all of us from this dumpster, but first, I want to show Auradon that it doesn't take much to make them bow before evil."

"I do like the sound of that," said Harry. "However, I do have one problem with your plan. You're younger. Why should you be the captain?"

"Am I sensing a challenge, Harry?" CJ already knew that Harry wasn't going to be taking orders from his younger sister without a fight.

"Everyone, step aside," Harry ordered.

Everyone in the shop stepped back and left space for CJ and Harry to duel.

The siblings draw their swords, wearing their battle faces. They start trading swings. Harry was using his strength as his greatest weapon. CJ was using her agility and quick wites. When Harry's strong strikes begin to overwhelm her, CJ dives out of the way to rethink her strategy, following it with swift strikes. Harry blocks every strike, but was getting overwhelmed by CJ's speed.

"Get her, Harry!" Gil cheered.

"Shut up!" Harry yelled.

CJ dodges Harry's swings and then jumped on the counter. She taunts her brother like she always did when they fight. Harry takes off his hat and jumps on the counter. The sword fight continues and it remains evenly-matched. Harry swings low, but CJ jumps over his sword. CJ aims for her brother's shoulder, but he blocks her swing. The two are caught in a lock. They started pushing, trying to knock each other off the counter. Harry's strength and hook were giving him the advantage.

"Yield, sis," Harry said.

"Not a chance," said CJ.

CJ kicks Harry in the leg, ending the lock. She strikes his sword, knocking it off his hand, and then kicks him off the counter. She jumps to the floor and points her sword at her brother's neck, daring him to surrender. Harry knew he was beat.

CJ offers her brother a helping hand. He reluctantly accepts it.

"So, captain," Harry said with sarcasm. "Who're you planning on bringing with us on our journey across the seas?"

"Can I come?" asked Gil, raising his hand.

"I could use the muscle," said CJ.

"Yay!" Gil cheered, excited to go to Auradon.

Harry faces his sister and asks, "What about Harriet? Are you planning on bring her?"

CJ responds by laughing. Harry followed with his own laughter. Gil fake-laughed, confused as to why Harry and his sister were laughing.

"Why are we laughing?" He asked.

CJ and Harry didn't answer him. They just continued to laugh together.

"Like I'm gonna let daddy's favorite girl ruin this chance for the two of us," said CJ, obviously expressing her disdain towards her sister.

"Let's see who'll be daddy's favorite after we sink those landlubbers in Auradon to the bottom of the sea," said Harry.

CJ stands on top of a table and raises her sword.

"Avast ye, mateys. For far too long, we have been left to rot on this island. We have been forced to look out for ourselves while everyone in Auradon gets to live happily ever after. Well, no more!" CJ strikes a wooden mug full of cider off the table with her sword, expressing her determination. "Starting tonight, we will rise from the depths of the water and take what is rightfully ours! Auradon will tremble before the sea's might! Long live evil!"

Everyone in the chip shop raised their arms and cheered.

 **I bet you're wondering who else would be joining CJ Hook's crew. You'll find out soon, but don't expect too much. I don't want to cram too many characters into one story. Like CJ said, quality beats quantity, sometimes, so I will tell you that her crew will be small. As for why I chose CJ to be the main villain of this story, it's simple. She's one of my favorite** **characters from the Descendants: Wicked World animated series.**


	2. A Message

**Before we move to the exciting stuff, let's settle down and see what is happening in Auradon.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users who reviewed the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Bal-Breelice04081998, top story, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, Gracekim1**

The sun was shining on a brand new day in Auradon. One place the sun didn't shine was a dorm in Auradon Prep that belonged to Mal, daughter of Maleficent, and Evie, daughter of Evil Queen. The pink satin curtains were covering the windows, preventing light from the sun from coming in. Mal loved it that way. Even after several months in Auradon, she still prefers the dark. It was her comfort zone.

Normally, Mal would be feeling as sunny as the morning in spite of the curtains, but today, she was feeling as dark as the room. She was just sitting down on her bed, staring at the fire she magically lit up on her hand. Despite having a wonderful time at the End-of-the-Year Celebration last night, Mal couldn't sleep peacefully. Her mind was plagued with dark thoughts and the same mysterious dream she keeps having every night.

What does it mean, she asks herself repeatedly.

Suddenly, a small gust of wind extinguishes the fire. Mal looks to her left and sees Evie, wide awake and giving her the look she gave her when she lectured her about using her spell book to fit in Auradon. Mal tried putting on a fake smile, but it didn't work. Evie kept looking at her like a disappointed mother.

"I know you have this strange love for fire, but I thought you said you were through using magic," said Evie.

"I didn't sleep well. I needed to calm myself down. I thought a good fire would do that," said Mal.

"Same wicked dream, again?" Evie guessed.

"Something worse," said Mal, hanging her head with fear and confusion on her face.

Evie sits down next to her friend and gives her best friend a hug. Mal leans on Evie's shoulder, accepting the act of comfort.

"You've got to stop worrying about the future, Mal," said Evie, gently brushing Mal's hair. "Nothing bad is going to happen."

"How can you be sure?" Mal asked, feeling doubtful.

"Because you have too many good things in your life for anything bad to happen," Evie smiled. "Even if something bad does happen, you can count on the people you love to help you through it."

"But what if you can't?" Mal wondered fearfully. "What if I'm alone when it happens?"

"You will never be alone," said Evie.

Evie continues to hug her friend until she turns her frown upside down. It was working. Mal begins to smile as she returned the hug. After the hug, however, Evie dropped her smile, still worried about her friend's mysterious behavior this morning. She's seen Mal feel depressed before, but this was different.

"What is it that you keep seeing?" She asked. "If you tell me, maybe I can help you."

Mal wasn't sure if she should tell Evie what she had seen. Before she could utter a word, someone knocked on the door. Seeing this as the opportunity to avoid talking about her feelings, she gets up from her bed and answers the door. She sees the smiling face of her handsome kingly boyfriend. Just seeing him is reason to put on a smile of her own.

"Good morning," Ben greeted.

"Morning," Mal greeted.

"Hi, Ben," Evie greeted.

"Hey," Ben replied.

"Is this about another surprise?" Mal asked.

"You can say that," said Ben.

"Should I leave you two alone?" asked Evie.

"No, this surprise for the two of you, as well as the rest of the villain kids," said Ben.

"What is it?" Mal asked.

"Now that the school year is over, all the students are going home for the summer," said Ben. "I'm aware that you and your friends don't have a place to live here. So, I talked to my parents and they agreed to my choice to offer all of you a place to stay in the castle."

"Really?" Evie sounded excited.

"We have fifteen guest rooms, including one big enough for all of you," Ben added. "What do you say, Mal?"

Mal was struggling to answer. Evie, meanwhile, was about to say yes, until something popped in her head.

"You know what, Ben, I think maybe only Mal should move in with you," said Evie.

Mal and Ben were both surprised by Evie's response. Did she really just turn down an offer to know what it's like to live in a castle?

"This is a big step in your relationship," said Evie. "I think the rest of us should give the two of you some space."

Mal laughs nervously. "C'mon, E. I'm just moving in. It's not like Ben and I are gonna share the same room or whatever."

"Regardless, I think it's best if you go alone," said Evie.

"But what about you?" asked Mal. "Aren't you gonna feel lonely here?"

Evie turns to Ben and asks, "May I request that Dizzy Tremaine be moved here for the remainder of the summer?"

"Request granted," Ben replied.

"I'll be fine," Evie said to Mal.

"I guess I better start packing," said Mal.

"Let me help," said Evie, pulling Mal by the arm.

Evie takes out her large suitcase that she saved for special occasions. She empties it of her stuff and replaces them with Mal's belongings. Mal rolls her eyes at her friend's enthusiasm, but she was also touched by it. Evie had refused to live in a castle in order to let her best friend spend more time with her boyfriend without anyone ruining this chance for them. It only showed Mal just how much Evie has grown from the self-obsessed narcissist she knew from the Isle of the Lost.

However, Mal couldn't help but feel that she was hiding something.

* * *

Later that morning, it was time for Mal to move from Auradon Prep to Beast Castle. Evie had asked Jay and Carlos to carry the giant suitcase to the limo outside the school, where Freddie and Dizzy were standing by the royal limousine.

"I thought I'd come see you off," said Freddie.

"You'll be alright this summer?" Mal asked.

"Ben found me a place in Bayou de Orleans, so I'll be fine," said Freddie.

"Don't go shrinking any heads," Mal joked.

"No promises," Freddie joked back.

The two girls laughed together, amused by each other. Mal decides to give Freddie a hug, which she felt uncomfortable with but hugged her back anyway since it was the right thing to do.

"Is that Evie's suitcase?" Dizzy asked, eyeing said suitcase that Jay and Carlos were carrying.

"Mal needs it more than I do right now," said Evie.

"I wish she didn't have to move," Dizzy said sadly.

"Don't be sad, Dizzy. It's not like I'm moving away forever. You can and visit me any time you want," said Mal. "After all, the castle's only, like, a twenty-minute drive from here."

Dizzy runs towards Mal and gives her a hug. Mal did the nice thing and hugged her back.

"You promise you'll be a good little girl to Evie?" Mal asked.

"I will," Dizzy promised.

Jay and Carlos load the suitcase into the limo's trunk. Carlos puts one hand on his aching back and his other on his shoulder, clearly feeling sore from carrying the heavy suitcase.

Jay approaches Ben and says, "Be good to her. You don't want to know what I would do if you hurt her." He then gently, if not too gently, punches Ben in the chest, giving him a glimpse of what would happen if he didn't heed his warning.

"In that case, I'll do best," said Ben.

"I can handle him myself, Jay," said Mal.

"Just lookin' out for you," said Jay. "That's what friends do, right?"

Mal responds by punching Jay in the shoulder. Unlike Jay's punch on Ben, she wasn't being gentle.

"Ow!" Jay reacted.

Mal giggled, glad that she showed Jay how it feels when someone uses his own sign of affection against him.

Suddenly, everyone heard a beep. It came from Carlos' phone.

"It's from Jane," said Carlos. "She's been texting me for the past two hours."

"Why don't you two just see each other face to face?" Jay asked.

"Because she's helping her mom with her final day duties," said Carlos.

Evie takes a look at Carlos' phone. Jane texted, " _Can you come and help me later?_ "

Carlos texted back. " _Sure. Anything for you._ "

Jane replied. " _I love you._ " She even added a heart emoji.

Carlos texts, " _I love you, too,_ " adding a heart emoji as well.

Jane replies with a blushing face emoji, followed by a kissing face emoji.

Evie teasingly nudges Carlos on the shoulder. Carlos blushed, embarrassed that Evie had to see the texts.

"Take care of yourself, Snowball," said Mal, petting Carlos like a little puppy.

"I'll manage," said Carlos, adjusting his hair.

Mal then plants a quick kiss on his forehead, which baffles him and confuses everyone who saw it.

"I wish I could whistle because that was cute," said Dude.

Carlos rolls his eyes, as he always does when Dude says something honestly embarrassing. Mal giggles as she pets the campus mutt.

"Well, time for you to go," said Evie, opening the door for her best friend.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Mal asked.

"I have Dizzy, so yeah," said Evie. "But I will admit, things won't be the same without you."

"Again, I'm not going away forever," Mal said. "But I will miss you."

"And I'll miss you," said Evie.

Mal and Evie share another hug, making everyone around them smile, touched by how close they are, like sisters.

"Just don't mess with my artwork," said Mal, referring to the "Long Live Evil" graffiti in her dorm.

"After what you did to Carlos, I wouldn't even dream of it," said Evie.

"Wait, what?" Ben was confused about what they're talking about.

"There are some things about my past you're better off not knowing," said Mal.

"Trust me," said Carlos, shivering at the memory and rubbing his right shoulder.

Mal and Ben enter the limo. As the limo left the school grounds, Mal opens the window and sticks her hand out, waving at her friends. They wave back.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the limo arrives at Beast Castle, where the former rulers of Auradon, Belle and Beast, are waiting by the front door. They bow to Mal as soon as they see her. She bowed to them in return. It was one of the royal traditions that she didn't mind honoring.

"Not necessary, Mal," said Belle. "Adam and I are just the king's parents. You, however, are the future queen."

Beast, for some reason, nudged Belle's shoulder. Belle lightly smacks Beast's arm in response. Mal was confused and suspicious at the same time by the royal couple's strange behavior.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to people bowing before me," said Mal.

"Isn't that what you always wanted?" Ben joked.

Mal laughed happily and awkwardly. She didn't know whether to kiss Ben or punch him for bringing up her evil desires from the past.

"We're happy to hear that you'll be moving to our lovely home, Mal," said Beast. "I promise you that you will have beautiful day every day."

"It's Auradon. Isn't every day a beautiful day?" Mal replied.

"I guess so," Belle agreed.

Two servants from the castle helped bring down Mal's big suitcase as the Lady of the Court enters the castle with her boyfriend and her parents. Even thought she's been in the castle before, she is still astonished by how beautiful it is on the inside. While she's more into dark interior decorating with graffiti all over the walls, she admits that Beast Castle's interior design is wonderful.

"We've prepared our biggest guest room for you," said Beast. "Ben asked us to make some changes to it so you'd feel more at home."

"To put it simply, everything in there is purple," said Belle.

When Mal opened the doors to her room, she was more than wowed by the design. Purple curtains covered the windows, keeping the room dark, just the way she liked it. The bed, pillows, couches, walls, even the flower vases were all colored purple. A bit of black and green were added so the room didn't look too plain. Mal immediately takes off her tiara and starts jumping up and down on her new bed, wearing a big smile on her face.

"I told you she'd love it," Ben said to his parents.

"She certainly has a unique taste," said Beast.

"You have to admit, this room does look wickedly good," said Belle.

"Did you just say _wicked_?" asked Beast, surprised.

"Isn't that what the Isle kids say?" Belle replied.

After all the jumping, Mal lands on her back. She was still breathing in and out from all the excitement. Ben starts running and jumps on the bed, landing on his back next to Mal.

"I see you're enjoying yourself so far," said Ben with a smile.

"I can't believe you did all this for me," said Mal.

"Why wouldn't I? I love you," said Ben.

"You always say that," said Mal.

"Is it bothering you?" Ben asked.

"No, I love it when you say it," said Mal.

Mal was about to kiss Ben, until she remembered that his parents were in the room.

"Mind giving us some space?" Mal asked.

"Sure thing, dear," said Belle.

After Belle and Beast left the room, Mal proceeds to kiss Ben, who happily returns it.

"Hey, after you're finished unpacking, would you like to have lunch at the Enchanted Lake?" Ben asked.

"Only if you bring the strawberries," said Mal.

"They're already in the basket," Ben replied.

Mal smiled. Ben always knew what she wanted, which is another one of the reasons she loves him so much. Is there such a thing as loving someone too much, she wondered. Ben would probably say no to that question, she guessed.

* * *

The Enchanted Lake was where Mal and Ben spent their first date. Mal was wowed by the beauty of the lake the first time she saw it. Although, she loved the picnic more than the view, especially the strawberries. It was that day that Mal knew that the dream she had back on the Isle of the Lost about a handsome prince taking her to a beautiful lake for a picnic was no dream at all. It was a vision of her future. It had happened. She would never tell Ben, though. She would rather keep it to herself.

Almost a year after that life-changing day, Ben had set up almost the exact same picnic for their date. This time, he packed chocolate-coated strawberries, which Mal absolutely loved. He also brought donuts with strawberry filling. No matter what form, Mal loved strawberries.

"What?" Mal caught Ben staring at her.

"You look beautiful when you smile like that," said Ben.

Mal was tempted to drop her smile just to mess with him, but she couldn't. She felt like his words have cursed her to smile for the rest of her life.

"Can you believe it's been almost a year since we first met?" Ben asked.

"It's kinda hard to believe," said Mal. "Sometimes, this all feels like a dream."

Ben leans in and plants a kiss on Mal's strawberry-flavored lips.

"Does it feel like a dream?" Ben asked.

"No," said Mal, smiling wider than usual.

"I'm really glad that you're happy," said Ben. "It's all I ever wanted for you since you came here."

"Well, I'm happy that you're happy that I'm happy," said Mal.

Nearby songbirds caught Mal's attention. While Mal listened to their beautiful song, Ben reached into his pocket and takes out a small box.

"Mal, there's something I need to ask you," he said.

"What?" Mal asked.

Ben appeared nervous as he cleared his throat, trying to speak. "Mal, ever since I first saw you, I knew that there was something special about you. My heart told me that there was something special about you. There was something inside me that was just screaming to get out. When you spelled me, I found the courage to tell you how I really feel about you. When you told me that you loved me, I felt like I finally found the one."

As Ben continued, Mal saw something in the sky. She couldn't make it out from the distance, but it appeared to be heading straight for them.

"Ben!"

Mal grabs Ben and pulls him into the Enchanted Lake with her as a black projectile falls from the sky and crashes into the picnic, destroying the stone floor of the old pavilion. Mal and Ben resurfaced to see their picnic ruined. The food was scattered and the picnic basket was, somehow, knocked into the water. They see a black round object in the middle of the pavilion.

"Is that a cannonball?" asked Ben.

"Yup, it's a cannonball," said Mal.

"Let me guess. Uma," Ben assumed. "She was a pirate back on the Isle, right?"

Mal can see red paint on the cannonball. She turns it over to see the rest of it. There was a message written on it.

"I don't think it's Uma," said Mal.

"Why?" asked Ben.

Ben takes a look at the red writing on the cannonball. It says:

 _Hey, Malsy!  
Miss me?_

Ben started going through his pockets, looking for something. He looks at the lake to see if what he's missing had fallen in. Mal noticed this and wondered what he was doing. She then catches a sparkle in the corner of her eye. Mal looks to the direction of the sparkle and sees something that made her gasp.

It was a diamond ring. But why would Ben bring this to their picnic? Did it have something to do with what he wanted to ask her about?

 **I'm sure you know that there is only one person who calls Mal, "Malsy". If you do know, then you know it's going down (pun intended).**


	3. Future Queen of Auradon

**Was I gone too long? I hope not.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, top story**

Evie, Jay, Carlos, Chad, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, Freddie, Dizzy, Belle, Beast, Fairy God Mother, and Dude were gathered in the living room in Beast Castle. Evie had received a call from Mal earlier, telling her to call the boys and meet her back in the castle. While Evie did call the boys, she also called Ben's parents, Auradon Prep's headmistress, and all her closest friends... and Chad.

While everyone was exchanging awkward looks, Carlos and Jane were texting each other.

Carlos: " _You're cute when you wear a bow on your hair._ "

"Awww," Jane reacted to Carlos' text.

Jane: " _And you look so cute with those freckles of yours._ "

"Oh, wow," Carlos reacted

"You two are literally sitting next to each other," said Chad, annoyed by the young couple's antics.

Carlos and Jane were, in fact, sitting next to each other. Very close to each other.

"Don't ruin this moment for them, Chad," said Evie, punching Chad on the shoulder.

Jay punched Chad in the same shoulder that Evie punched.

"What was that for?" asked Chad, clutching his shoulder.

"Nothing. We just like hitting you," Jay joked.

Lonnie and Belle couldn't resist giggling at this. Freddie joins in on the fun and punches Chad in the same shoulder.

"I can see why," said Freddie.

A few minutes later, Mal and Ben have returned, both still a little wet from their recent dive into the Enchanted Lake.

"Hey, why aren't you wearing it?" Evie asked, looking at her purple-haired best friend.

"Wearing what?" Dizzy was confused by Evie's question.

Chad, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, Fairy God Mother, and Dude all looked at Evie with the same confused looks on their faces.

"Uh, I was talking about the new dress I made for Mal," Evie lied.

"What new dress?" asked Mal, confused like the others.

"The one with the silver beads forming the shape of heart," said Evie, winking at Mal.

Mal knew that Evie's winking meant she was hiding something. Although, unlike the previous times she winked like this, she didn't know eaxctly what she was hiding.

"I, uh, forgot about it," said Mal, playing along with whatever Evie was doing.

"So, why did you call this meeting?" asked Lonnie.

"Uh, this meeting was supposed to be between us and Evie and Jay and Carlos," said Mal.

"I think they deserve to know," said Ben.

"Know what?" asked Carlos.

"We were at the Enchanted Lake, and we were attacked," said Mal calmly.

"What?!" Everyone asked loudly, shocked.

"By a cannonball," Ben added.

"A cannon-what?" asked Chad.

"A cannonball dropped out of the sky and almost killed us!" Mal shouted.

"And I'm guessing you two survived by swimming," Carlos guessed, gesturing to their slightly wet clothes and damp hair.

"It's Uma, isn't it?" Evie asked.

"No, it wasn't," said Mal. "There was a message on the cannonball. It said, _Malsy_. I'm pretty sure we all know the one person who calls me that."

"CJ," said the VKs at the same time.

"Haven't seen her since the Jewel-bilee" said Lonnie. "Where's she been all this time?"

"Sailing the seas on her rowboat, my guess," replied Freddie.

"But isn't the ocean, like, hundreds of miles away from here?" Doug asked.

"Unless, she was sailing on the Enchanted Lake," Jay guessed.

"Oh, it's CJ, alright," said Mal, feeling completely sure. "The question is, what does she want now?"

"To take over Auradon?" Jay said as if it's obvious.

"Maybe, but why let Mal know she's up to something?" Evie wondered.

"Knowing CJ, she stops being discreet when she wants to," said Mal, crossing her arms and wearing a dark look on her face.

Mal then notices everyone staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

"M, when CJ crashed the Neon Lights Ball, the way you said her name, it reminds me the way to talk about Uma," said Evie. "I'm guessing you two have a history you're not telling us about."

"Let's just say I have a number two rival, and that would be CJ," said Mal. "We preferred to keep our rivalry private."

"Why?" asked Carlos.

"It doesn't matter," said Mal. "What matters is looking for her and stopping her from whatever she has planned. This attack on me and Ben, it's just the beginning. She _wants_ me to know that she's doing something bad."

"C'mon, Mal, it's just one villain kid to worry about," said Jay confidently.

Before Mal could respond, Lumiere comes running into the room, panting from exhaustion.

"Easy, Lumiere," said Belle, comforting her friend.

"Your majesty... you might... want to... turn on... the TV," said Lumiere, speaking in between deep breaths.

Carlos picks up the remote and turns on the television. Everyone in the room was shocked by what they saw. They can see Snow White on screen, with Harry Hook standing behind her, holding his hook in front of her face. Snow White was clearly afraid. Harry looked as if he was itching to hurt her with his hook. Belle held on to Beast in fear.

 _"Is this thing on?" asked someone off-screen._

The camera turns around, showing everyone watching the Auradon News Network who was holding the camera. It was Gil, son of Gaston.

 _"Yes, it's on, you imbecile," Harry growled._

Gil turns the camera back to the princess and the young pirate. Harry gives Snow White a piece of paper to read.

 _"Start reporting, lassie," Harry ordered, poking Snow White below the eye with his hook._

 _Snow White gulps nervously as she begins to report. "This is Snow White, reporting live from Belle's Harbor, where a gang of villain kids have taken hostages and have placed them on the royal yacht. The young man right behind me is Harry Hook, the son of Captain Hook, who happens to be the first mate to the captain of this villainous crew, his sister, CJ Hook, who you might remember for crashing the Neon Lights Ball earlier this year."_

Gil points the camera towards the royal yacht, where the hostages are being watched over by the rest of the villainous gang. Zevon, son of Yzma. Ginny Gothel, daughter of Mother Gothel. Mad Maddy, granddaughter of Madam Mim. They waved to the camera with wicked smiles on their faces. Swinging into the scene in CJ Hook, who blows a kiss to the camera. Gil oddly keeps the camera on CJ for an unusually long time. He started giggling for some reason, which makes Mal gag with disgust.

"How did all those villain kids even escape from the Isle?" Doug wondered.

"I checked my office. The remote to the barrier was gone," said Ben.

"But why did CJ free only a handful of villain kids?" Lonnie wondered. "Why not release everyone?"

"That's CJ for you. She's hard to predict," said Mal.

"Take it from the guy who she affectionately pranked countless times, she is," Jay added.

 _"Stop staring at my sister and point it back here!" Harry yelled._

Gil quickly points the camera back at Harry and Snow White.

 _"Keep reading," Harry said to Snow White._

 _"I got a chance to speak with the captain earlier," Snow White continued. "She asked me to send this message to Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. Her message is, and I quote, if you don't show up within the next couple of hours, these laddies and lassies will be walking the plank. You better hurry, hero, if that's who you really think you are. See you soon, Malsy..."_

The report was cut short when a remote was thrown to the screen, breaking it. The arm who threw the remote belonged to Mal, who was looking like she was about to explode.

"I guess we're gonna have to buy a new TV," said Belle, putting on a nervous smile.

Ben quickly approaches Mal and gently holds both her shoulders.

"Mal, please, calm down," he pleaded.

"I'll calm down when we toss CJ and her miserable excuse for a crew back to the Isle of the Lost," said Mal. Her eyes were beginning to flash with green, which frightens everyone in the living room.

"Whoa! Easy, girl," said Carlos, trying to calm down his friend.

He holds her hand and with both his own. Mal looks at Carlos with her glowing green eyes, nearly weakening him. She closes her eyes and breathes, trying to calm herself down as her hand tightened around Carlos'. When she opened her eyes, Carlos sighed with relief to see that they were no longer glowing.

"Good girl," said Carlos.

"Don't call me that," Mal said threateningly with a smile.

"Okay, now that Mal's calm, we gotta get to Belle's Harbor A.S.A.P.," said Evie. "Ben, we're gonna need the Royal Racer."

"But it only fits two people. You, Jay, and Carlos could barely fit in the back last time," said Ben. "I suggest you take the royal convertible as well. I'll drive."

"No, Ben, you can't," Mal protested. "You're the King. The people need you to live to rule the kingdom. Let us handle this instead."

"You're not talking me out of it," said Ben. "I'm going. Besides, there's six of them and only four of you. That's an unfair fight."

"I'll come too," said Lonnie, standing up. "I helped last time, didn't I?"

"Why can't Fairy God Mother Bibbid-Bobbidi-Boo just them back to the Isle?" asked Freddie.

"My magic is only for the purpose of helping people, not violence," said Fairy God Mother.

"Don't worry, Freddie. We VKs have been fighting each other for seventeen years on an island without magic. I think we can manage," said Mal.

"I'll get the swords," said Jay.

"And I'll prep the vehicles," said Ben.

"Be careful, son," said Beast.

"You taught me how to handle a sword, remember?" Ben reminded.

"And still, you can't beat me," Beast smiled.

"I'll be fine," Ben assured.

Ben and his father share a hug. Belle adds herself so she doesn't feel left out.

While Ben shares a moment with his parents, Mal grabs Evie by the arm and drags her outside the room. Not wanting to be excluded from their "girl talk", Carlos follows them.

* * *

Mal stops after a few paces out the door. Evie felt a little nervous that Mal needed to talk to her alone, especially considering her recent emotional episode.

"M, what's the matter?" asked Evie.

"You knew Ben was gonna propose to me today, didn't you?" Mal asked with a shrill tone.

"He came to us about it yesterday."

Evie turns around. Mal looks over her friend's shoulder. They both see Carlos, standing nearby.

"Ben needed our blessings," said Carlos.

"Why?" asked Mal.

"Because we're the closest thing you have to family," said Evie, affectionately holding both of Mal's hands. "Besides, your mother obviously wouldn't give him her blessing to marry you, lizard or not."

"Is this why you refused Ben's offer to live here?" asked Mal.

"We knew about his plan to propose. The offer was a recent thing," Evie explained.

"And you called everyone to our meeting because you thought I was coming home with a ring on my finger," Mal guessed.

Evie nodded, confirming the purple-haired sorceress' guess.

"So, why aren't you wearing it? Did you say no?" asked Evie, worried that she did.

Mal takes off her glove and shows her friends the ring that Ben brought to their date, which has been encased in her palm the whole time.

"Ben said he had something to ask me about," said Mal. "I'm guessing he was gonna propose, but the cannonball came down on us before he could pop the question. He must've dropped this when I pulled him into the lake."

"He doesn't know you're hiding it, does he?" Carlos guessed.

"As far as he's concerned, it's at the bottom of the lake," said Mal.

"Why hide this from him?" asked Evie.

"Because this is a big deal, Evie," said Mal.

"We know, and that's why Carlos, Jay, and I gave Ben our blessings," said Evie.

"Evie, Ben was gonna _propose_ to me," said Mal worriedly.

"Why do you sound so upset about this?" asked Evie.

"You do know what this means, right?" Mal replied, sounding slightly irritated. "Proposal means engagement. Engagement means marriage. Marriage means I become Queen of Auradon."

"So?" Evie doesn't seem to be understanding Mal's problem with the proposal.

"I could barely handle being Lady of the Court. Do I really need the weight of the responsibilities of being queen on my shoulders right now?" said Mal, feeling unsettled and panicked.

"This is about love, Mal," said Evie dreamily. "You and Ben, together forever. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

Mal's eyes started glowing green again, feeling annoyed by her best friend's lightheartedness. Feeling her inner darkness coming out, she closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"We'll talk about this later," said Mal. "Right now, we got some swashbucklin' to do."

 **Ben was gonna propose to Mal? Gasp! Will she say yes? Well, that's a question to be answered for another chapter, because the next chapter is going to be about the first showdown between Team Mal and Team CJ. Put your swords up, put 'em up, it's going down!**


	4. Fair Fight

**WARNING: This story is about to get darker from this point and forward, hence the T rating. Read at your own risk.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users who reviewed the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, danifan3000, top story, Guest43**

 ** _To danifan3000_: I'm sorry about the error you pointed out in the last chapter. Don't worry. I fixed it. Thank you for pointing it out.**

The VKs were getting ready to leave for Belle's harbor. The Royal Racer and the royal convertible are parked right outside Castle Beast. Mal, Jay, and Carlos are dressed in their latest VK-style attire, feeling it was fitting for a battle against a rival villain kid gang. Mal even asked Dizzy to restyle her hair for the occasion. Dizzy straightens Mal's hair and added the fringe that she loved so much. Jay had chosen to ditch his sleeved jacket in favor of the sleeveless one, preferring to show off his muscles during a battle.

While they wait for Evie, Ben, and Lonnie, who were still in the castle, they say goodbye to their friends.

"Tell CJ I said hello," said Freddie.

"You sure you don't want to come?" asked Carlos.

"I'd love to, but I suck at using swords. Just ask CJ," said Freddie.

"Can I come?" asked Dude.

"No, you can't," said Carlos. "I'm serious this time. No! You're staying here with Jane."

Dude groans.

"I'll make sure he doesn't stow away," said Jane.

"Can I trust you to keep an eye on him at all times?" Carlos asked, making sure his canine companion is in safe hands.

"110%," said Jane, confident that she's trustworthy with a dog.

Jane, all of sudden, pulls Carlos into a hug.

"Be safe," she said.

"I will," Carlos promised, hugging his girlfriend back.

"I think I'm gonna cry," said Dizzy, touched by the cuteness between Carlos and Jane.

Mal started growling due to impatience. "What the hell is taking them so long? Doesn't Evie know that innocent people are about to die if we don't get to Belle's Harbor right now? Wasn't she the one who said a few minutes ago that we have to leave A.S.A.P.?"

"Calm down, my lady," Jay said.

"Don't call me _lady_ ," Mal said with a threatening glare.

"Okay, calm down, _Mal_ ," said Jay, correcting himself for his own sake.

"Oh, look. They they are," Dizzy said, pointing at Evie, Ben, and Lonnie, who had just exited the castle.

Evie, too, was wearing her latest VK-style attire. Ben was dressed in the blue leather jacket and blue beanie that he wore when he went to the Isle of the Lost to bring Mal home. To answer Mal's question about their lengthy fitting, Lonnie reveals her new threads, courtesy of Evie. She was wearing a sky blue leather jacket with some pink features, along with a matching leather skirt, tights, and gold plates on the shoulders.

"What do you think?" Evie asked, gesturing to Lonnie's VK-style outfit.

"Wicked good," said Jay, admiring his not-yet-girlfriend's new look.

Lonnie blushes and smiles at her not-yet-boyfriend. Jay winks at her. Mal gagged for the second time that day.

"Okay, now that we're all set, let's hit the road," said Mal, clapping her hands to attract everyone's attention.

Mal and Ben board the Royal Racer, while Lonnie and the rest of the VKs take the royal convertible. Evie loads her bag, which was full of stuff that Carlos invented in case they had to go into battle, into the trunk. Bfore she can enter the convertible, Doug stands in her way, wearing a worried look on his face.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" He asked.

"Doug, we've been over this. It's too dangerous for you," said Evie. "You know I can take care of myself. If I can't, I have friends here who will take care of me."

"I just don't want you to get hurt," said Doug.

"We're VKs, Doug. We fight each other for a living. I'm used to it," said Evie.

Evie kisses Doug on the cheek before entering the convertible. The Royal Racer leaves first, followed by the convertible, which was driven by Jay. Chad, Jane, Doug, Freddie, and Dizzy wave goodbye to their friends, wishing them good luck.

"Hey, Mal. I never got to ask you," said Ben.

Mal felt her nerves tense, believing this is about the proposal.

"How do I look?" Ben asked.

Mal sighs with relief. She then looks at her boyfriend, who was adjusting his right sleeve as he drove.

"You look bad," she said with a smile.

"Is my beanie not low enough?" asked Ben, thinking his girlfriend dislikes his look.

"Not that kind of _bad_ , Ben," said Mal.

"Oh, _that_ kind of bad," Ben realized.

Mal gently punches Ben on the shoulder for misunderstanding her. Still, she thought it was funny and he looked really cute thinking she didn't like how he looked.

* * *

Less than two hours later, the four VKs and the two AKs arrived at Belle's Harbor. They can see Snow White, still being held hostage by Harry Hook.

"Welcome, all," Harry greeted them. He checks the time on his pocket watch. "Congratulations. You're ten minutes early."

Carlos looks into his phone and says, "Fifteen, actually."

Harry keeps his hook close to Snow White's face and says, "Say hi, lassie."

"Hi," Snow White greeted nervously.

"Let her go, Harry," Mal demanded.

"Sorry, Mal. No can do," said Harry. "CJ needs a cameraman, or should I say, camerawoman for this event. Now, step on board, if you will. Let's get this started."

Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos, Ben, and Lonnie follow Harry on board the royal yacht. Harry shoots a grin at Mal and strokes her cheek with his hook, causing Ben to stand in between them and glare daggers at the pirate. Six families were tied up in the middle of the yacht. Ginny scares them by grinning at them evilly and scratching the floor with the sword she was given. Zevon is leaning back on the railing, drinking a glass of lemonade. Gil is still holding the camera, circling around the deck.

"Where's your captain, Harry?" asked Jay.

On cue, CJ comes swinging down from above, waving at everyone. She lets go of the rope and makes a stylish landing. She then winks at Jay flirtatiously. Jay waves at her in response. Lonnie elbows the ex-thief on his side, scowling at him. Jay shrugs his shoulders at her.

"Hey, Malsy," CJ greeted the King's girlfriend. "Long time no see. How've you been?"

"Oh, I think you know how I've been," Mal said sardonically. "I was just enjoying my perfect little life, as Uma would say, and then I turn on the TV to find a psychotic pirate holding innocent people's lives hostage just to settle an old feud."

"Oh, this is not about us, Malsy," said CJ. "It's about you. Isn't that how it's always been? It's always about you. Mal, the most ruthless, most vicious of the new generation of villain kids, now nothing but a prissy pink princess."

"Call me that I again, I dare you," Mal snarled.

"Ooh, I see you still have that sharp tongue I loved so much," said CJ.

"And I see you've gathered yourself a crew of the worst of the worst from the Isle," said Mal. "And Zevon."

"Hey!" Zevon reacted, offended.

"Hey, where's Freddie?" asked CJ. "I was hoping to see my old partner in crime again."

"I'm afraid she's not coming," said Mal. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you two reunite... before we send you back to the Isle of the Lost."

"Gil, give Ms. Fairest of them All here the camera, if you may," CJ ordered.

Gil gives the camera to Snow White, who is still being watched over by CJ's brother/second mate. She points the camera at the captain of the villain kid crew. CJ adjusts her hair and wipes some dust off her cheek as she faces the camera with an evil smirk on her face.

"Good afternoon, Auradon!" CJ began. "I hope you folks at home are still watching, because the show is about to begin. Your beloved Lady Mal has just arrived and she brought along some friends, including your very own king. Very bold of her, huh?"

"Just get to the point, CJ," said Mal. "You're not gonna let these people go unless I do something you want. You can go ahead and tell me what it is, but I don't have to do it, whatever it is."

"Oh, but you will," said CJ. "If you don't cooperate, we'll start slitting throats, and you can't have that on your conscience, can't you?"

Mal's shaking fists and scrunching eyebrows were clear signs that she was beginning to lose her temper. Evie puts her hand on her friend's shoulder, trying to keep her calm so she doesn't do anything rash that could endanger the civilians.

"What do you want, CJ?" Evie asked.

"Six heroes. Six villains. Six families," CJ continued, gesturing to the innocent citizens tied up. "You can save them, but you'll have to fight for them."

"Six one-on-one battles. Each time we win, one family goes free. Each time you win, one family dies," Carlos guessed.

"Why, Carlos, aren't you such a wise cutie?" CJ said, impressed by how accurate the tech prodigy's guess is.

"You're just as thick as Gil if you think I'm going through with this," said Mal.

"Doesn't she need to work out more to be as thick as me?" asked Gil, confused.

Everyone responded to Gil's stupidity with either laughter or groaning as he clearly misunderstood Mal's words.

"Mal, we have no choice," said Ben. "It's the only way."

"I don't trust her," said Mal.

Ben steps forward and speaks to CJ. "Do I have your word that you will release them if we emerge victorious?"

"You have my word, your majesty," CJ said, kindly bowing before the king.

Ben looks back at Mal and smiles, assuring her that they can win this fight. Mal was still unsure about accepting the challenge. She can't shake off the bad feeling she is having right now. Unfortunately for her, the king has spoken, so she has to go along with CJ's game. Behind Ben's back, literally, she leans towards Carlos and whispers something to his ear.

"Okay, Malsy, are you ready?" CJ asked. "Pick your first challenger. As for me, I choose my brother and first mate, Harry."

"If you wish, sis," said Harry, drawing his sword.

"If you wish, _captain_ ," CJ corrected him. "So, Mal, who's your pick?"

"I choose Jay," said Mal.

"I was hoping you'd say that," said Jay, drawing his sword.

Everyone stood back as Harry and Jay prepare themselves for battle. After a salute, they get into their battle positions. Mal couldn't help but notice CJ and Maddy exchanging evil smiles. They're up to something, she knew.

Harry and Jay started swinging their swords at each other. Everyone oohed aahed as their swords clashed with so much power and force. Both Harry and Jay were known for their strength when it comes to sword-fighting. Harry tried a spin move, but Jay blocked his strike and kicks him in the stomach, knocking him back. The two continued to exchange powerful strikes, until they get caught in a lock.

Jay was pushing as hard as he can. Suddenly, he felt something bite his leg, causing him to say "ow." Harry pushes Jay towards the railing, knocks his sword away from him, and kicks him to the ground. CJ and her crew cheer, while Mal and her friends gasp with horror, knowing Jay's defeat means a family will die.

Mal caught sight of something on crawling the floor. It was a tick. There was something strange about it. For one thing, she can sense magic around it. Also, she could've sworn she saw something like it jumping out of Jay's leg after he said "ow." She looks around the yacht and sees that Mad Maddy was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes widened upon realizing the truth behind Jay's defeat.

"Carlos, hit me," Mal ordered.

Carlos gives Mal a small silver sphere. Mal activates it and throws it at the tick. The sphere detonates, creating a smokescreen that clouds the entire deck. Everyone started coughing from the smoke. Mal looks into the smoke and sees Mad Maddy at the exact same spot where she last saw the tick. This confirms her guess. Mad Maddy had used her shape-shifting magic to sabotage Jay's chances of winning the fight.

"What the heck, Mal?!" Maddy yelled.

"What the hell, Maddy?!" Mal retorted. "You guys cheated!"

"Well, if you're gonna play dirty, I guess it's time for this game to get messy," said CJ. "Harry, my bro, mind driving us away from this mist?"

"With pleasure, captain," said Harry, making sure he addressed his sister by her title this time.

Harry navigates through the smokescreen and makes his way to the bridge, where he starts the boat and sails away from the smoke. Suddenly, a foot hits his side and he falls down to the ground. Harry looks up to see Jay, who apparently followed him here.

"Ready for Round Two?" Jay asked, twirling his sword in his hand.

Harry gets up and draws his sword. "Always," he said with a menacing tone.

Meanwhile, on the deck, a fight breaks out between CJ's crew and Mal's friends. Mal and CJ both draw their swords and stare each other down.

"I knew you were gonna cross me one way or another," said Mal.

"I said I would let these people go if you win. I didn't say anything about cheating," said CJ. "You can't let one person die, can you? Too much of a hero to do that, aren't you, Malsy?"

"Maybe I am," said Mal.

CJ charges at Mal. Mal blocks the pirate's first swing with her own sword. The sword fight starts off as evenly matched, until CJ pulls off a surprise move. After a few swift swings, CJ dodges Mal's swing with a spin move and then slashes low, leaving a cut on Mal's leg. Mal grunts with anger before unleashing her fury on CJ, striking faster and stronger, overwhelming her.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, Evie engages Ginny Gothel in sword fight.

"I see you ditched that stupid red dress," said Evie, noticing Ginny's grayish pirate getup.

"Well, I needed a change," said Ginny, proud of her new look.

"Think you can handle a sword?" asked Evie.

"Harriet and I spar once in a while," said Ginny.

Ginny shows Evie what she has learned from sparring with Harriet Hook. She strikes high and low with grace. Evie could barely keep up, so she fights dirty and kicks Ginny on the shin before pulling her hair and spinning her around.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

On the other side of the deck, Carlos faces Zevon, who keeps throwing flasks of magical potions at him. Carlos uses his athletic skills to dodge every single one, while making sure none of them hit the innocent civilians still sitting at the center of the deck.

"Don't you ever run out?" Carlos taunted.

"Hold still, you little nuancence," said Zevon, throwing another flask, which Carlos dodged anyway.

"It's _nuisance_ ," Carlos corrected him.

Zevon throws two potion bottles at the same time, but Carlos dodges by rolling to the right.

"My turn," said Carlos.

Carlos takes out another smoke bomb and detonates it on Zevon, blinding him. Zevon coughs as he walks out of the smoke, only to see that Carlos has vanished. Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his arm. He turns around and sees Carlos, only to get immediately flipped to the ground.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Ben was engaged in a sword fight of his own, against the son of his parents' mortal enemy. Gil's swordsmanship definitely outshines his intelligence by a long shot. His brute strength helps a lot, but Ben uses his speed to stay on his feet, striking swiftly and reacting as fast as he can.

"You're good, I'll give you that," said Gil.

"You haven't seen anything yet," said Ben.

The two get caught in lock, which Ben wins by quickly withdrawing, causing Gil to push himself to the floor, falling on his face.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back at the bridge, Jay and Lonnie were position back-to-back as they fought their respective opponents. Jay and Harry continue to strike hard at each other, while Lonnie was getting the best of Maddy, whose sword skills are obviously lacking. After kicking her leg up to dodge a low swing, Lonnie uses the same leg to kick Maddy down.

"Hey, Jay. Remember that dance move we did at the Cotillion?" Lonnie asked.

"No way I could forget it," said Jay.

Jay turns and kneels. Lonnie uses Jay's shoulders as boost and performs a cartwheel spin, kicking Harry in the face, knocking him down. Jay and Lonnie hi-five each other.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal loses her sword fight with CJ after her sword was struck off her hands. CJ kicks Mal towards the railing and points her sword at her throat.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Mal asked.

"Our quarrel doesn't end here, Malsy," said CJ. "Besides, there's more than one way you could lose this fight."

CJ immediately grabs a little girl and holds her sword against her throat as she walks back towards the railing on the other side of the deck. Mal rushes towards them, but stopped mid-way when CJ deepened the pressure of her sword on the little girl's neck.

"What's your name, little one?" CJ asked. "C'mon, girl. No need to be shy. I just want a name."

"R-R-Rosalinda... but my parents call me Rose," said the scared little girl.

"That's a pretty name," CJ said, still choosing to play around.

"Don't worry, Rose. Everything is gonna be fine," Mal promised. "Do you believe me?"

"I-I believe you," Rose said, scared but hopeful.

"Ooh, not a very wise thing to say, Mal," said CJ.

"CJ, let her go!" Mal demanded.

"Poor choice of words, hero," said CJ.

CJ tosses Rose overboard. Rose's parents cried with fear as Mal takes off her jacket and dives down into the water to save their daughter. Fortunately for her, she had finally learned to swim, thanks to lessons from Ben. She swims down as fast as she could, trying to save the drowning little girl. She paddled fast as she finally grabs hold of Rose. She swims back up to the surface, where Ben and Carlos were waiting for her by the railing. They pull both her and Rose back on board.

Carlos started giving Rose cardiopulmonary resuscitation, trying to revive her. Rose's parents tried to breathe as they hoped that their daughter is alive.

After pumping Rose's chest fifteen times, Carlos places his ear on her chest, trying to listen for a heartbeat. The horrified look on his face, however, tells everyone that the little girl's condition was the opposite of good. He keeps on pumping her chest, begging for her to wake up, to no avail. No pulse. No breathing. Nothing. The mother and the father started crying. Carlos slams the deck floor in frustration.

Ben puts his arms around Mal, who clearly feels guilty for not saving Rose. Their friends gathered to see what has occurred.

"Everyone, time to go!" CJ called to her crew.

Harry, Gil, Zevon, Ginny, and Maddy all picked themselves up and regrouped with their captain. Mal's eyes glowed green as she left Ben's arms and ran toward CJ with anger.

"Bye, Malsy," CJ taunted, waving and grinning at the angry daughter of Maleficent.

Zevon takes out another potion and throws it to the ground, magically teleporting himself and his fellow villain kids off the yacht before Mal could get to them.

Ben gives Mal another hug, trying to comfort her as she was on the verge of exploding with rage and breaking down with tears. Mal was consumed with anger, guilt, and sorrow as she buried her crying head on Ben's shoulder. She couldn't bare to look at the little girl she failed to save. It would only make her feel worse.

"Don't worry, Mal. They'll pay for what they did, I promise you," said Ben, gently stroking Mal's hair.

"Where did _they_ go?" asked Lonnie curiously.

 **I did warn you that this story was going to get darker. With a title like, "Long Live Evil," what else did you expect?**

 **Don't hesitate to drop a review. I welcome any praise and criticism.**


	5. Balancing the Scales of War

**Brace yourselves for some PG-rated cursing at the beginning of this chapter. I prefer to flirt with swearing but not actually include it.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following user who reviewed the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, ReViv-or, Bal-Breelice04081998, top story, Guest21**

"That two-faced..."

Mal kicks a chair across the room.

"... slime-covered..."

Mal smacks a flower vase off a table, smashing it to pieces.

"... fish-sucking..."

Mal flips the table where the flower vase she smashed once stood.

"... mother-slashin' wretch!"

Mal slices the couch in half with her sword.

Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben stood by the door as they watched and listened to Mal take her frustration out on lifeless furniture in her own room that was prepared specifically for her. Jay and Carlos each put a hand on one of Ben's ears, trying to keep him from listening to Mal's "angry" words. When Mal's tantrum stopped, Ben gently removes the boys' hands from his ears.

"I still heard," said Ben.

"Then good luck trying to sleep at night," said Jay.

Ben slowly walks towards Mal. The three VKs all braced themselves for what they believe is going to another outburst of rage from Mal.

"Mal..." Ben puts his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Ben!" Mal interrupted him, swatting his hand off his shouder.

What scared Ben wasn't her words but her eyes. They were glowing with a dark shade of green, which is obviously not a good sign.

"You're not the only one affected by this," said Ben. "Rose's parents are in grief. The people are afraid of CJ and her crew. Every leader in Auradon is increasing security for the safety of all kingdoms. You're not alone on this."

"Ben, an innocent 9-year-old girl has just been murdered by a villain," said Mal. "Do you know what that means? I failed as a hero. A hero is supposed to save those who can't save themselves, right? I was supposed to save Rose, but I didn't."

"Mal, you can't blame yourself for what happened," said Ben.

"You're right," said Mal. "I should be blaming you."

"Me?" Ben asked, confused.

"You and your stupid no-magic rule are responsible for this," said Mal, shoving Ben away from her. "If I had used my magic, Rose would still be alive and her parents would be able to hold her in their arms right now. But I didn't, all because you, your father, and Fairy God Mother have pushed me into believing that I don't need magic anymore."

"Mal, this doesn't sound like you," said Ben.

"How would you know?!" Mal yelled, shoving Ben again.

"Okay, this is getting out of hand," said Jay, walking towards his friend.

"If you're gonna say the exact same thing, save it," Mal said, stopping Jay from coming any closer.

"M, seriously, you need to chill," said Evie, taking her turn in approaching the enraged daughter of Maleficent.

"Stay back!" Mal yelled.

All of a sudden, fire sparked and lit up around Mal's hand, forcing everyone to stand back. Mal stares at the fire she accidentally created. A wicked grin shows up on her face as she plays with the fire, increasing its size and changing its color to green. Everyone, including Ben, wouldn't dare to come close due to fear of getting burned. Surprisingly, Carlos stepped forward.

"Don't come any closer, Snowball," Mal warned. "Just get out, all of you!"

"We're not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere," said Carlos.

"You're just begging me to give you another scar, are you?" Mal replied.

"Maybe I am," said Carlos.

Carlos uses one hand to grab Mal's wrist, holding up the fire in front of him. Mal stared into his eyes, but he still wasn't scared or anything. He looked at her the same way she used to look at him back on the Isle. Carlos pulls her towards Ben as he grabbed the king's arm. He slowly pulls Mal and Ben's hands closer together. Mal was beginning to look nervous, afraid of burning her boyfriend. The closer Ben's hand got, the smaller the fire around her hand became. She completely turns off the fire as Ben's hand touched hers.

Carlos steps back and lets the two have their moment. They stared into one another's eyes as they tightened their hold on each other's hands. The glow in Mal's eyes disappears, which brings a smile on Ben's face.

"I... I am so sorry," Mal apologized sincerely. "I don't know what got over me there."

"You're angry," said Ben. "At me. At CJ. At yourself."

"You two _definitely_ need some alone time," said Carlos. "C'mon, guys. Let's clear ourselves out of here."

Evie, Jay, and Carlos walk out of Mal's room, leaving the King of Auradon and his Lady of the Court to stare and smile at each other.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

"Dude, how do you do that?" asked Jay.

"Do what?" Carlos didn't know what he was talking about.

"Talk Mal into calming down, just like that," said Jay. "You did it earlier, and you did it again just now."

"I don't have a how. I just do it," said Carlos. "You got to be bold."

"You got to be brave," Evie sang.

"You got to be free," Evie and Carlos sang together.

The fashion designer and the tech prodigy started laughing together. Jay was feeling a little left out and a bit miffed by the singing. The laughing stopped when Carlos' phone beep. He received another text message from Jane.

"Jane needs me," said Carlos. "I'll see you guys later."

Carlos starts running out of the castle to meet up with Jane at Auradon Prep. After he was out of sight, Evie takes out her phone and sends a voice message to Jane.

"Jane, if you're hearing this, that means Carlos is on his way to you right now," she said. "I thought I'd let you know that if you get any funny ideas, I'll make you eat a poison apple, I swear it. Tell Carlos about this message, oh, you're gonna have to worry about your hair."

"Do you have to threaten her?" asked Jay. "Since when are you the protector of Carlos' love life?"

"Since always," said Evie, smirking.

"Mal would be proud of you," said Jay.

"I know she will," said Evie.

* * *

Mal and Ben sit down under the largest tree in the castle's garden. Ben knows that the sight of brightly-colored flowers and butterflies made Mal want to throw up, but fortunately, he started growing black dahlias and bat orchids, her favorite kinds of flowers. Mal picks up one orchid an smells it. Its scent, as well as its color, brings a smile on her face.

"Feel better?" asked Ben.

"Absolutely," said Mal.

"Feel like talking now?" asked Ben.

"Just say what you have to say," said Mal.

"You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, you know?" Ben said. "I know you're angry about what happened to Rose. All of us, in a way, are angry about this."

"You don't look angry," said Mal.

"Because we know that being angry is not gonna help us win this fight," said Ben.

"Ben, they have magic on their side," said Mal. "Jay lost to Harry because Maddy used magic. You have to allow me, allow my friends to use magic. It'll balance the scales in this war."

Ben looked down at the tulips right next to him, thinking about what Mal said.

"Mal, you know I trust you, right?" He said.

"Of course I know. You say it all the time," said Mal.

"But I'm not sure if I can trust you to use magic yet," said Ben.

Mal's smile dropped, disappointed to not hear what she wanted to hear. "But I just said..."

"I know what you said," Ben cut her off. "You're right. We _do_ need to balance the scales in this fight, but I still have to think about the consequences if I allow this. I wish I can trust you, Mal, but the way you looked into the fire, it scares me."

"Okay, so I have a thing for fire. Big deal," said Mal, presuming her passion for fire is not a problem.

"Mal, I know about the fires you caused on the Isle," said Ben. "You know I researched you and your friends before inviting you here to Auradon. Your files contain lists of bad deeds, and may I say that you have a very long list."

Mal couldn't help but feel flattered, even though she knew she was supposed to feel ashamed.

"Mal, I love you, but that doesn't mean I can just let you do whatever you want if it means it might harm innocents," said Ben.

"Ben, I promise I'll be careful," said Mal.

"I know you will," said Ben. "I'll talk to Fairy God Mother about returning Evie her Magic Mirror, but that's it. If you want your spell book back, you have to show me than I can trust you with it. I may be your boyfriend, but I am this kingdom's king. As much as I want to please you, I have to think about my people first. I'm sorry."

Mal was clearly saddened by Ben's refusal. He tries to make her feel better by holding her hand.

"Mal, you are an incredibly capable person and I know you can find another way to win without magic," said Ben. "You saved me from Uma using only your wits and sword skills, after all, not to mention a beautiful voice."

Mal smiled for a second, but her spirits were clearly not lifted by his words.

"If it'll make you feel any better, I'll talk to Fairy God Mother about Evie's mirror _and_ your spell book," said Ben, trying to make Mal feel better. "But you understand why we have to exercise caution."

"Yeah, I understand that you don't trust me," said Mal.

"I do trust you, Mal," said Ben.

"Just not enough," said Mal.

Mal gets up and leaves the garden. Ben gets up and walks after her, but one glare from Mal forces him to stop. Ben just stood as he watched Mal leave. It saddens him that he upset her. This is one of the times he wishes he wasn't King. He has to prioritize his kingdom over his girlfriend. He knows that magic is needed in this fight, but he won't allow Mal to use it because he fears she will abuse it, knowing how much she loves to use magic.

* * *

The Museum of Cultural History is not only a place where special objects from the heroes and villains' pasts are kept but it also serves as a storage for magical items that needed to be contained because of former King Beast's rule against using magic.

It's close to midnight and the one security guard keeping an eye on the security camera footage falls asleep on the job, which allows a certain intruder to walk in without problem. The intruder who just infiltrated the museum is none other than Mal. She uses Evie's sleeping perfume to put the guard in a deep sleep.

Mal makes her way to the Gallery of Villains, where statues of the worst villains in history stood. She lays eyes on the statue of Maleficent, which makes her think about the lizard in her room that was once what the statue represented. The scepter that the statue held was no fake. It was the real Dragon's Eye Scepter that belonged to the Mistress of Evil herself, only now useless other than to serve as a piece of a statue. A magical force field was cast around it by Fairy God Mother to prevent anyone from taking it, just in case.

Mal can see her mother's spell book, which was placed next to the statue under a glass case. The gold plate says, "Maleficent's Spell Book." Mal walks up the steps towards the statue and removes the glass case from the the pedestal. She reaches into her jacket, taking out what appears to be a replica of her spell book. She takes her spell book and replaces it with the fake one.

"I'm sorry, Ben, but I need this," she said quietly.

She once again looks at the face of the statue that looks like her mother.

"I know you'd be proud of me for this," she said sadly.

Mal begins her way back to the exit. She stopped when the security guard moaned and moved in his sleep, but fortunately for her, he remained asleep.

 **Mal just stole her spell book back. Emphasis on "stole." This is obviously not good.**


	6. Treasure Hunting

**In this chapter, we'll focus on CJ and her villain kid crew. We've read about them in battle. Now let's see what they're like when they're not trying to vanquish their enemies on the battlefield.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, top story, rose1041**

CJ Hook had told her brother that she found herself a ship at Skull Rock. It was a pirate ship, alright, but it was no Jolly Roger. It was an old, wrecked ship, filled with cracks on the hull, holes on the deck, and a broken mast. CJ, of course, knew that it was not seaworthy, but she was not going to miss this chance to claim a real pirate ship.

She told her crew that she traveled to Neverland and held Tinker Bell's life hostage in order to force the fairies to give her their pixie dust. She used it to make the old ship fly in the air. She steers it back to a remote area on Nerverland, where she forced the original Lost Boys to repair it. After the rebuilding process was complete, which included some painting and creating a new flag, CJ named her vessel, "The Lost Pearl."

To ensure the Lost Boys don't inform Peter Pan or King Ben of what she forced them to do, she keeps Tinker Bell as a prisoner on her ship, locking her up in a bird cage in the captain's quarters.

A few weeks before all of that, CJ found hidden treasure on an uncharted island, which also contained magic potions, including one that can make anyone and anything undetectable by sight and magic. She used it on The Lost Pearl, which allowed her to fly the ship above the grounds of Auradon without being seen in order to deliver a message to Mal, via a cannonball.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

"Isn't she a cute little one?" Harry teased the caged Tinker Bell by poking her with his hook.

"She sure is," CJ agreed.

"And you're sure this will keep those Lost Boys from telling anyone?" asked Maddy.

"It's Tinker Bell, Maddy! Of course, they won't say a word," said CJ confidently.

"Well, we killed a kid and made Mal angry," Ginny recapped gruffly. "What next, captain?"

"Now, we wait," said CJ.

"For what?" asked Ginny.

"For Mal to make her move," said CJ. "While she deals with her anger, we'll be busy hunting for treasure."

"Finally," said Harry, excited.

"What?!" Zevon shouted, not pleased by the captain's answer. "We are wasting time, CJ. We should be coming up with a plan to take over Auradon. We should break into the museum and steal whatever magical items we can get our hands on. We'll bring this kingdom to its knees within hours."

"You think big, Zevon, I appreciate that, but that's the problem with you," said CJ.

"Excuse me?" Zevon reacted.

"Thinking big doesn't mean seeing the big picture," said CJ. "Do you have any idea why I ordered for a retreat after killing poor little Rose?"

Zevon had no answer, therefore, he has no idea why.

"The original plan was to kill or let go of the hostages depending on who wins each fight, but when Malsy found out that we used Maddy to turn the odds in our favor, I had to change the plan," said CJ. "Failing to save one innocent messes up a hero, so I thought I'd just get it over with."

"I've been thinking, how did Mal even know I was using my magic?" asked Maddy. "For all she knows, I could just be a bug on the floor."

"At least The Lost Pearl is hidden from naked and magical eyes," said CJ.

CJ exits her quarters and walks up to the quarterdeck to steer the ship. The rest of her crew see Gil sweeping the deck, which is what CJ ordered him to do. After all, someone needed to make sure the ship stayed spotless, and who better to do that than someone with a small brain who has no problems taking orders?

"You're being really secretive with this second plan of yours, CJ," said Zevon. "I hate codrumdums."

"First of all, it's _conundrum_ ," said CJ, correcting Zevon. "Second, I did tell you that we need Malsy and her friends to know that we mean business. It's not just about outfighting them. It's about proving something."

"Which is?" asked Zevon.

"That she's not this goody-two-shoes princess she keeps trying to convince everyone she is," said CJ, revealing only a small part of her secret plan.

"Fine, stay clandestiny if you want to," Zevon sighed, giving up trying to figure out CJ.

"Clandestine," CJ corrected.

"Whatever," replied Zevon.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

"I don't like this," said Zevon.

"Stop complaining, Zevo," said Ginny as she rolled her eyes.

"The name is Zevon, son of Yzma, and you will respect me," said Zevon, offended by the name-calling.

"Am I supposed to be intimidated by your mother?" Ginny asked. "Honestly, I doubt half of Auradon even remembers her."

Zevon was getting angrier while Ginny's smirk grew wider. Maddy stood back and waited for the verbal fight to turn into a physical one.

"Whoa, guys. Relax," Gil interrupted. "We're a team. We're a crew. We shouldn't be fighting each other."

"Go back to sweeping the deck, muscle man," Maddy dissed him.

Instead of getting back to his duty, Gil took the time to admire his muscles, which made his fellow crew members roll their eyes, annoyed by his stupidity.

"I have one question, though," said Gil.

"What?" asked Maddy.

"Who's Yzma?" Gil asked.

Zevon becomes even more annoyed while Maddy couldn't help but chuckle.

"I can't believe CJ even bothered with you boys," said Ginny, walking away.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" asked Zevon.

"You're a bighead who can't even say the word _revolution_ correctly and Gil is just an imbecile who's only useful because of his muscles," said Ginny.

"Thank you for noticing," said Gil, flexing his muscles.

Ginny rolls her eyes again and looks away from the son of Gaston.

"CJ chose me because she knows I have what it takes to succeed," said Zevon. "I almost took over Auradon, if I have to remind you."

"But you failed," said Maddy. "You had Jafar's scepter and all the jewels, yet you lost to Mal, a genie, shrunken twerps, and powerless nitwits. No wonder your mother gave you the _cold_ shoulder when you came home."

"Oh, burn," Gil reacted. "Get it? Because she called him out on being frozen and all when he was delivered back to the Isle..."

"We get it, Gil," said Maddy.

"I seem to recall hearing a story about you two trying to feed Mal to the crocodiles, but you failed," said Zevon with a smug look on his face.

"That's it, Zeva," said Ginny, drawing her sword. "You want to settle this right now, let's do it."

Zevon takes out a vial of potion from his coat, preparing for showdown with Ginny. Maddy also prepares herself by transforming. Unfortunately, she accidentally transforms into a frog the first time. Fortunately, she gets it right the second time when she transforms into a tiger.

"That's enough, all of you!" Harry shouted. "Gil, get back to swapping the deck."

"Aye aye, cap... I meant, first mate Harry Hook," said Gil, sweeping the deck as fast as he can.

"And the three of you," Harry pointed to Ginny, Maddy, and Zevon. "If I hear one more ill word from any of you, you get the hook. You got me?"

Ginny, Maddy, and Zevon glare at each other before walking away in separate directions. Ginny transforms back into her human form, only after mistakenly transforming into a mouse and then a cat.

"Rats," Harry muttered, insulting the crew.

* * *

The Lost Pearl docks at the shore of the Border Lands. The ship's crew exit the ship and begin walking through the hot, dry terrain. CJ takes out her map to see where they need to go.

"What's so important about this treasure anyway?" asked Ginny.

"The treasure chest I found on this uncharted island was the first of three buried by the fairies from Neverland," said CJ. "The second map should contain not only more doubloons and magical doodads but the map to the third and final treasure chest."

"You know I can make us all the potions we need, right?" said Zevon.

"Maybe, but there is more to this than just about a bunch of magical potions," said CJ. "Harry, hold this."

Harry holds up the map while CJ takes out her phone, which she stole. She takes a picture of the map and then sends the picture to the phones of her crew. Their phones beeped, prompting them to take a look at the picture that their captain sent.

"We're splitting up, aren't we?" Harry guessed.

"The fairies made sure to keep the exact location of the second chest a secret," said CJ. "From what I can tell, it's either at the lake to the south or the cave to the west."

"So, who's going with who?" asked Gil.

"Me and Harry will check out the cave. The rest of you will head for the lake," said CJ. "Gil, you're in charge."

"What?!" Zevon, Maddy, and Ginny exclaimed simultaneously.

"Awesome," Gil cheered.

"We meet back here at the ship, got it?" CJ said.

Everyone nodded.

"C'mon, bro. Let's leave these four bilge rats to their search," said CJ, grabbing her brother's arm and pulling him towards the direction to the cave.

Zevon and Ginny glare at each other before turning away. Maddy starts walking towards the south.

"Hey, wait up!" Gil walked after Maddy.

Zevon and Ginny shove each other as they follow their crew mates.

* * *

After over half and hour of walking, the Hook siblings finally made it to the cave. It was dark, obviously, and the air inside felt cooler than the outside.

"Good thing 21st Century phones come with flashlights," said CJ, turning on her phone's flashlight.

The siblings navigate their way through puddles and rocky stairs as they venture further into the cave, looking for a sign of buried treasure. CJ looks over her shoulder and sees a look on Harry's face that tells her he wants to break the silence and speak his mind.

"If you got something to say, go ahead," said CJ.

"Last time I was in a place such as this, I was walking side by side with Uma," said Harry, flashing back to the time he and Uma went looking for the remains of Ursula's necklace on the Isle of the Doomed.

CJ rolls her eyes, slightly irritated by her brother's obsession with Uma.

"Have you ever thought about recruiting her?" asked Harry.

"If I could find her," said CJ. "You think looking for a twenty-foot sea witch with tentacles for legs would be easy, it's not."

"But you will consider offering her a spot on the crew, yes?" asked Harry.

CJ stops and looks at her brother with a bleak expression on her face.

"You know I never liked Uma," said CJ.

"Understandable," said Harry.

"But if it makes you happy, I will consider," said CJ, sounding strangely nice instead of snide.

Harry notices the look on her face and the tone of her voice, which causes him to smirk.

"Since when do you care about my happiness?" asked Harry.

"We're family, Harry," said CJ. "You were always the less annoying sibling."

For Harry, it was a compliment. They were never fond of their eldest sibling, Harriet Hook, but they always had a certain level of respect for each other.

"You promise?" asked Harry.

CJ coils her pinky around Harry's hook.

"Pinky promise, as the kids in Auradon would say," said CJ.

Harry lets out another grin, hoping his sister would keep her promise.

"Let's get that treasure," he said.

CJ and Harry continue their way down the dark, wet caverns, looking for something out of the ordinary. The found it in the form of a circular door with a painting of Peter Pan's shadow in the middle. CJ takes out a bag full of pixie dust and dumps some of it on the door, causing it to open up.

"How did you know that would work?" asked Harry.

"It worked back at the island," said CJ. "The previous map told me the key in the form a riddle. _Have faith and you'll shine like a sparkle. Always trust that there will be a miracle._ "

"Heroes, am I right?" Harry remarked.

"Definitely," replied CJ.

Through the door, the Hook siblings find three Xs drawn on the floor. One was red. One was black. One was white. Obviously, only one of them has the treasure chest buried underneath. The others must be traps.

"How can we guess which is the right one?" asked Harry.

CJ shines her phone's light on the map. There was another riddle.

 _"The color you seek is not what you think, blank is what you seek that makes you sink."_

"Blank?" Harry repeated the word. "The white one. White is a color that represents nothingness. Blank."

Harry grabs a shovel and makes his way towards the white X.

"Harry, wait!" CJ cried out.

It was too late. Harry had brought down the shovel on the white X, only for it to ground beneath him to collapse, revealing a deep hole. Harry manages to use his hook to grab on to the edge, keeping him from falling. His hat fell off his head, but he catches it with his other hand before tossing it up. CJ shows her face and offers him her hand. Harry grabs on to it. Unable to pull Harry up with one hand, CJ uses both hands. Harry helps by pulling on his hook, pulling himself up. CJ successfully pulls her brother out of the hole. She grabs his hat and gives it back to him.

"Seems like you care after all," said Harry.

"Like I said, we're family," said CJ. "The map said that the color we seek is not what we think, meaning that the obvious color we think the second phrase indicates is the wrong one. Since red is a color that could mean many things, there is only one other color that could indicate nothingness."

"Black," Harry realized.

CJ and Harry started digging where the black X is. After a couple minutes of digging, CJ struck something wooden. It was the chest. She and Harry pull it out of the dirt. CJ reaches into her pocket and takes out a key. The head of the key resembles the pixie dust tree of Neverland. CJ opens the chest and finds not only gold coins and potion bottles but also a fragment. It was bronze and had glyphs written on it.

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"That, Harry, is what I'm trying to figure out," said CJ, picking up the fragment.

CJ dips her hand in the chest, searching for something. She pulls out her hand with what appears to be a scroll. It was a map.

"Two down, only one more to go," said CJ.

* * *

Harry carries the treasure chest by himself as he follows CJ back to The Lost Pearl. They wait by the ship for half an hour, but the rest of the crew haven't returned yet.

"It's been twenty minutes, CJ," said Harry, looking at his pocket watch.

"Actually, it's been thirty minutes," CJ corrected him. "Let's go. They better not have been eaten by boars or drowned in the lake."

CJ and Harry walk to the south to find their crew mates. When they arrived at the lake, they find Ginny and Zevon in the middle of a sword fight, which Zevon was losing. Gil was looking back and forth between the sword fight and Maddy, who has transformed herself into a dog to dig for the treasure chest. So far, she has dug four holes and found nothing.

Ginny kicks Zevon's hand, knocking his sword away from him. She then twists his arm and places her sword against his throat.

"Alright, I surrender," said Zevon.

"Never thought I'd hear you say those words," said Ginny.

"Alright, you two. Quit it," CJ ordered.

Ginny walks away from Zevon with both her hands in the air. Zevon holds his aching hand, which Ginny kicked.

"I can't leave you scallywags alone for five minutes, can I?" CJ complained.

"She won't stop insulting my greatness," said Zevon, pointing at Ginny.

"Your greatness? Is that what I'm insulting? I thought I was complimenting your awesome skills in getting us lost on our way here," said Ginny.

"I followed the map correctly," Zevon argued.

"Guys, please, not in front of the captain," Gil pleaded.

"You were supposed to be in charge," said Hook, poking Gil on the chest with his hook.

"Hey, I tried to stop them from fighting, but Ginny punched me in the face," said Gil, gesturing to the bruise on his cheekbone.

"And you just let that stop you?" Harry asked.

"She also told me that if I let them fight, she'd buy me a ring for your sister," said Gil with a big smile.

In response, Harry smacks Gil across the face, hitting the very cheekbone that Ginny punched.

"Maddy!" CJ called.

Maddy jumps out of the hole she was digging.

"Harry and I found the chest. You can stop sniffing dirt and change back," said CJ.

Maddy changes back into her human form, right after accidentally changing into a tick.

* * *

CJ and her villain kid crew return to The Lost Pearl and set sail to where the third treasure chest is buried. CJ steers the ship as she enjoys the feeling of her long blonde hair dancing to the wind. After sailing on a rowboat for months, it felt good for her to feel like a real pirate, sailing a real ship on waters outside the barrier that surrounds the Isle of the Lost.

"Feeling like the queen of the world, aren't you?" Harry said, walking towards his sister.

"Just enjoying the life of a true pirate," said CJ.

"You're definitely not the classic type of pirate," said Harry. "You gathered yourself a crew of bumbling scoundrels instead of real pirates."

"Why do you think I picked them, Harry?" CJ asked. "Gil's no smartypants but he's got the strength and loyalty that a captain needs. Zevon may be a bit full of himself but his overconfidence mixed with his expertise in magic potions can be useful. Ginny not only has the attitude of a rotten queen, but she's pretty adaptive, as you can see by her swordsmanship. Maddy, well, Auradon is a magical world, after all, so we could use someone who can wield magic."

"You forgot to mention someone," said Harry. "Your own brother."

"Two reasons," said CJ. "One, you're a real pirate, Harry. You've got the fire, the hat, and the unpredictability I always admired about you. Two, I couldn't sail the seas and claim my glory without sharing it with someone of my own blood who's had to suffer

"What happened to the little runt who always looked out for herself?" asked Harry, surprised to be hearing these words.

"I guess Auradon is kinda getting to me, but what if it is? I think family is the one thing both heroes and villains should treasure," said CJ.

Harry couldn't stop himself from grinning. He then reaches into his coat and takes out what appears to be another hook.

"My hook," CJ recognized it. "I've been looking for that thing since I was 7."

"Well, since you were setting me free, I thought I'd pay you back," said Harry, giving CJ her hook.

CJ and Harry hi-five with their hooks and laugh evilly together.

 **Awww. Brother-sister bonding. What do you think?**

 **Do you guys think I should continue?**


	7. Secrets

**I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was sick, so you know... rest and recovery. But I'm back and I deliver you a new chapter. I hope this was worth the wait. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Bal-Breelice04081998, rose1041, top story, silverwolf, Guest21, Guest43, chocolatesbello, 61394, Luvs2Read, CarvieCamfia**

 **I'd also like to thank those who told me to keep going. I really needed it after "what happened".**

 ** _To Guest43_: About Mal being a rebel, I do see your point, but CJ had to make to compare Mal to something, that's all, since she is not a villain to the people of Auradon. As for the mystery behind the reason why Mal keeps dreaming about "Ways to be Wicked," well, you're getting warmer.**

 ** _To silverwolf_: I think C.J. likes Jay. She did call him "cutie" in the Wicked World series.**

Mal was outside Auradon Prep, waiting for someone. She looks down at the spell book in her hands. Just looking at it brings a wicked smile to her face. Just touching it makes her feel the dark magic surge within her, and she loved the feeling. A part of her was afraid of this, but she ignores this feeling because she feels that the very book she is holding is what she needs to put an end to CJ's reign of terror before it rises out of control. She had spent the entirety of the previous day practicing spells in private. Now, she feels she needs to test a spell on a person to see if she's ready.

Mal's wicked smile grew wider when she saw the person she's been waiting for coming towards her. It was Jane, who was walking while texting. Mal can only guess that she's texting her boyfriend, Carlos. Whenever they're not together, she would talk to him through texting. It sort of bugs Mal that she does this almost every second of every day. Doesn't she know that Carlos has a life outside of her, she wondered.

Mal hides her spell book behind her back as she puts on an innocent look on her face.

"Hey, Mal," Jane greeted.

"Hey, Jane," Mal greeted her with the sweetest tone she has ever used.

"So, what do you need me for?" asked Jane.

"I just need you to stand there and keep your mouth shut," said Mal.

"Okay, why?" asked Jane.

"Just shut up," said Mal, sounding more annoyed than sweet.

Mal removes her hand from behind her back, revealing to Jane what she has been hiding. Jane was shocked to see what was in Mal's hand.

"Is that your mother's spell book?" She asked.

"I told you to shut up," said Mal, dropping the sweet tone in favor of a slightly furious one.

"Did you steal that from the museum?" asked Jane. "Why did you do it? I thought you were finished with magic. What will the King say about this? Have you told him yet?"

"Ugh! What does Carlos see in you?" Mal complained, annoyed by Jane's babbling.

"Well, Carlos said I was cute and sweet," said Jane, answering Mal's question. "He also said that..."

"Rhetorical question, Ms. Bibbidi-Bobbidi," Mal interrupted her. "Now, shut up and let me do my thing. Say another word, this becomes worse for you."

Jane resisted the urge to say another word, for her own sake. Mal opens her spell book and flips through the pages, searching for the spell she seeks. A smirk creeps up on her face as she stopped flipping, which tells Jane that Mal found the spell she was looking for. Mal looks at Jane with a devious look in her eye as she started waving her finger. Green sparks emanated from her finger.

" _A twist in time, a clock in cracks, I command the hands of time to go back,_ " she chanted.

Mal casts the spell on Jane, who started moving and talking backwards rapidly. She then began walking backwards in the exact same path she walked on to arrive to Mal while texting. Mal couldn't help but cackle in amusement as she watched Jane walk backwards out of her sight.

"Looks like I still got it," Mal said to herself, proud of herself. "Look out, CJ. I am about to rain on your parade. Maybe I'll even use acid rain to do so."

Mal's personal moment was interrupt by the ringing of her phone. Ben was calling her.

She answers. "Hello?"

 _"Hey, Mal," Ben greeted. "Look, I know you're still upset that I wouldn't return your spell book, but I have an opening in my schedule that could be filled with a lunch date. That is, if you're interested."_

"Uh, sure. I'd love to have lunch with you," said Mal.

 _"That's great," replied Ben happily. "I'll bring the strawberries."_

"I don't know if I can love you more than I already do," Mal replied, smiling.

 _"Well, see you at noon, I guess," said Ben. "I love you."_

"Love you, too," said Mal.

* * *

Mal arrives at Castle Beast at exactly twelve o'clock to have lunch with her boyfriend. To ensure that he doesn't find her spell book like he did during their date at the lake a few months ago, she hides it somewhere in her dorm. Mal enters the dining room to find Ben sitting down on his chair. In front of him is a couple bowls of porridge and a bowl of strawberries.

"Careful no little girl breaks in and eats all this porridge," Mal joked.

Ben laughed, obviously amused by Mal's words.

"You look lovely," said Ben, eyeing Mal's beautiful short lavender dress with black threads sewn to look like raging fire.

"Well, I dress to impress," said Mal regally.

Mal sits down and the two start eating their porridge. Mal, as expected, was chowing down strawberries like a feral animal, which makes Ben laugh a little. His smile, however, drops as he stares into his porridge.

"Something wrong?" Mal asked, mouth full of strawberries.

"Maybe," said Ben. "During our date at the Enchanted Lake, I was gonna ask you something important."

Mal choked on her strawberry at the sound of these words, knowing exactly what Ben was talking about. It made her nervous. She looks down at her gloved hand. Underneath the glove is the ring that Ben was going to use to propose to her. It has been a couple of days since she found and she has yet to tell him that she knows what he had planned.

"There was something I was gonna give to you, but when the cannonball hit the ruin, I lost it," said Ben.

"Can you tell me what it is?" Mal asked, pretending not to know.

"I'd love to, but I need that... certain something," said Ben.

"Is it another gift?" asked Mal.

"You can say that," said Ben.

"Why don't you just ask me," Mal suggested.

Ben's response is silence and an unsure look on his face. "I don't know, Mal..."

"Just tell me," said Mal, holding Ben's hand with her own. "I can tell this is eating you up inside. Best to just let it out."

Ben looked into Mal's eyes. He wasn't sure about asking her now, especially since he wanted the moment to be perfect and beautiful, like back at the Enchanted Lake. However, since that is out of the question, he thinks he might as well satisfy Mal's curiosity. After all, it's her answer that matter, not how he executes the question. He takes a deep breath as he prepares to open his mouth.

"Mal," he started. "Will you marry me?"

Mal looked away from Ben as his question buzzed around her head. _Should I tell him_ , she asked herself. Mal reaches for her glove and immediately pulls it off, revealing a diamond ring on her finger. Ben recognized the ring. It was the one he thought he lost at the Enchanted Lake.

"Yes, I will," said Mal, smiling.

Ben smiled, happy to hear Mal's answer. His smile dropped when his curiosity kicked in.

"You kept it this whole time?" He asked.

"I was just shocked, that's all," said Mal. "This is a big step for us, Ben, and, honestly, it scares me. I wasn't gonna tell you until after we've dealt with CJ, but then I saw the look on your face. You were so worried that you lost the ring. You were just aching to know my answer. Well, my answer is yes. I want to marry you, Ben. I really do."

Mal leans in and kisses Ben on the lips. Both of them smile afterwards, staring into each other's eyes with excitement building up inside them. Ben's elation over what just happened was making his smile grow wider with each passing second. Mal can tell that he was just as eager as she is for the big day.

"I can't believe this is happening," said Ben.

"Believe it," said Mal.

"I just wish we could've done this at the Enchanted Lake," said Ben.

"I know. Proposal over a simple lunch date sounds lame, but I don't care where you propose. All that matters is that you ask," said Mal.

"After we stop CJ, we'll start planning the wedding," said Ben.

"Evie's gonna be so excited," said Mal.

"You don't sound too happy about that," said Ben.

"Knowing her, she's going to be working non-stop to make sure this wedding is perfect for me," said Mal. "We might as well let her do all the work."

Mal and Ben laugh together. Ben never understood Mal's sense of humor, but there are times when she makes him laugh. She truly is unique, he thought.

"So, when do you want to spread the news?" asked Mal.

"After this war is over," said Ben. "Until then, you might want to keep the ring hidden under your glove."

"Already ahead of you," said Mal, slipping her glove back on, hiding the ring from sight.

Mal and Ben continue to eat their meals, but they couldn't stop looking at each other. Ben had asked the big question and Mal gave him the answer he was hoping for. They were going to get married. Just thinking about it brought more joy to them. Seeing how happy the other is fills them with even more joy. Mal had been scared for this moment, but now that it has passed, she feels silly for being scared in the first place.

However, Mal subtly drops her smile as she thought about a certain spell book she has hidden in her dorm. Ben would not be happy once he finds out, she knows.

* * *

After lunch, Mal returns to her dorm. What she finds once she opened the door was an unhappy Evie with a familiar object in her hand. It was Mal's spell book.

"Care to explain?" Evie asked, sounding like a strict parent talking to her delinquent child.

"Evie, put down the book," Mal insisted.

"Not until you tell me why I found this under your bed," said Evie.

"Evie, I am serious. Put down the spell book," Mal repeated.

"Did you steal it from the museum?" Evie asked, refusing to drop the matter.

"Evie, I am warning you," said Mal, sounding extremely serious.

"Does Ben know about this?" asked Evie.

"Evie, give me the spell book," Mal demanded.

"He doesn't, doesn't he?" Evie guessed.

Mal's eyes glow green as she begins to lose her patience. Evie notices this and takes a few steps backwards.

"Give me the book," Mal ordered.

"No," said Evie, putting the book behind her back.

Mal's eyes glow greener as she charged at her best friend. Evie tried to keep the book out of Mal's reach, but Mal was relentless. She puts her forearm on Evie's throat and pins her to the wall. She grabs the spell book from her friend's hand.

"Mal, this is wrong," said Evie.

"Shut it, Evie!" Mal yelled, eyes still glowing with the color of an emerald.

Mal increases the pressure of her arm on Evie's neck. Evie tried to speak, but couldn't because Mal was choking her.

"Mal... stop... please," Evie pleaded, struggling to speak through the choking.

"And if I do, how will I make sure you don't spill the beans?" Mal asked, refusing to release Evie.

"Mal!"

Mal turns around at the sound of the familiar voice. Carlos came running into the room, along with Jay. Carlos pulls Mal away from Evie, while Jay shields the blue-haired daughter of Evil Queen from the daughter of Maleficent. Mal, eyes still glowing with fury, attempts to charge at Evie again, but Carlos made sure to keep a tight grip on her.

"What is going on here?" asked Jay.

"Mal stole her spell book back from the museum," said Evie.

Mal stopped struggling, but her furrowed eyebrows and clenched fist tell that she was becoming angrier. Jay and Carlos look down and see Mal's spell book on the floor, which she dropped after Carlos grabbed her.

"You stole your spell book from them museum?" Jay asked, surprised. "If I didn't choose to be good, I'd be proud of you."

Mal grabs her spell book and steps back, raising her hand, threatening to cast a spell if any of her friends attempt to come closer. Jay continued to shield Evie, but Carlos wasn't going to stand back and watch Mal break down again.

"Mal, just relax, please," he pleaded.

"You don't understand," said Mal.

"What I understand is that this is wrong," said Carlos.

"That's what I said," said Evie.

"Take it from an ex-thief. This is _definitely_ wrong," Jay agreed.

"This is the only way I can stop CJ and her goons from hurting anyone else," said Mal, gripping her spell book tightly.

"Is this about CJ or is it about you?" Carlos asked.

Mal was shocked by this question. Why would he ask her a question like that? She just told him the reason why she stole her spell book back.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"I think he's saying that you stole your spell book back because you _wanted_ it back. You wanted to use your magic again," said Evie.

"Mal, you don't have to do this," said Carlos.

"I have to," said Mal.

"To save Auradon or to satisfy your lust for power?" Carlos questioned her.

Carlos places his hand on Mal's arm and lowers it, trying to calm her down. The glow from Mal's eyes begin to dim as she stared at Carlos, who was looking at her with a hardened expression. Carlos pulls Mal into a hug in an attempt to keep her calm. Mal reluctantly hugs him back.

"How do you do that?" asked Jay, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Evie nudges Jay on the shoulder and glares at him, telling him not to ruin the moment with unimportant questions.

"Mal, we're just worried about you," said Carlos. "You haven't been yourself lately, and it's scaring us."

"Maybe that's what I want," said Mal.

"No, it's not," said Carlos.

"How would you know?" Mal retorted. "You think you all know me. You don't know me, not as well as you think."

Evie comes out from behind Jay and approaches Mal, taking her friend's hand into her own and looking at her with worry all over her face.

"You have to tell Ben," said Evie.

"No, I can't," said Mal.

"I thought you promised that there will be no more secrets between the two of you," said Evie.

"Well, I have to break that promise for the sake of Auradon," said Mal, freeing her hand from Evie's. "And don't tell me otherwise."

Mal walks out the dorm, only to stop when a hand grabbed her arm. She looks back and sees Carlos, visibly worried, obviously for her. Evie and Jay looked at her with the same look.

"Where are you going?" asked Carlos.

"Somewhere to do something stupid," said Mal.

"Mal, please, don't make this worse than it already is," said Carlos. "We care about you. _I_ care about you."

Mal can feel herself calming down even more at the sound of Carlos' words. He seemed to be the only one lately who can truly pull her out of her rage. She hanged her head as she looked at the spell book in her hand. She begins to wonder if she's doing the right thing. When she looked back at her friends, she begins to feel conflicted. Suddenly, her eyes glowed for a few seconds, which clearly frightened everyone in the room.

"I'm sorry, Carlos, but if evil is the only way to stop CJ, then I have to take that chance," said Mal darkly.

Mal frees herself from Carlos' grip and walks out the dorm. Evie, Jay, and Carlos look at each other, still worried about their friend.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Jay. "Mostly because she just said the word _evil_."

* * *

In the depths of the ocean, miles away from the Strait of Ursula, which was located within the barrier surrounding the Isle of the Lost, was a cave that once belonged to the sea witch herself. It had been cleared out of potions and any magical objects twenty years ago, but it remained majestic, in a dark, creepy sort of way. Inhabiting the dark cave is the daughter of Ursula, who goes by the name of Uma. She sat on a sea rock, waving her tentacles for no reason. Her long, thin braids danced to the weak current within the cave.

Uma's moment of silence ends when she hears footsteps coming towards her direction. She jumps off the rock and prepares herself for battle.

Coming from around the corner is a familiar face. One Uma was not happy to see. Standing before her with some sort of purple aura surrounding her is Mal. Uma can guess that the magical aura around Mal allows her to breathe underwater.

"What do you want?" Uma asked.

"I need your help," said Mal.

 **Uma's here. What's gonna happen? Well, you're gonna have to wait until the next chapter to find that out. Anyway, I hope this was a great chapter. I hope it really was worth the wait.**


	8. A New Ally

**I'm sorry about the cliffhanger in the previous chapter, but I like to keep everyone guessing. Read and enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users who reviewed the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, rose1041, top story, Bal-Breelice04081998, Guest43, CarvieCamfia**

Uma "walks" a bit closer towards her rival, who continues to stand there with a stoic expression on her face and a hand on her hip. Uma had the urge to strangle her with her tentacles, but was caught off guard by her words. Is the big bad Mal actually begging for help? Oh, how have the times changed.

"What, no dress today, princess?" Uma teased, noticing that Mal is wearing leather from shoulder to toe.

"Least I'm not wearing ridiculous knee-length braids," Mal retorted.

Uma snorts and rolls her eyes at Mal's insult as she twirls one of her braids with her finger. She used to admire her sense of humor when they were kids, but nowadays, any joke or insult that comes out of her mouth is just a reason to dislike her.

"You've been pretty busy," said Mal. "Trying to start a war between Atlantica and Camelot just to steal King Triton's maps, you really made a big mess of things."

"That was the plan," said Uma with a smile, feeling proud of herself.

"I figured you needed those maps to find your mother's secret lair, and it seems I was right," said Mal.

"And you just happened to know where I am _without_ the maps?" Uma questioned.

"Your mother's necklace is magic, and I can sense magic now," Mal explained.

"Interesting," replied Uma.

"But I don't sense Excalibur down here," said Mal. "I take it you kept it somewhere hidden, someplace no one would ever find it."

"You're not getting anything from me," said Uma. "So, why waste your time with me?"

"Like I said, I need your help," said Mal.

"With what?" asked Uma.

"CJ's back. She's gathered herself a crew of villain kids to help her take over Auradon," said Mal.

"Yeah, I heard. Poor little Rose," said Uma disrespectfully.

Mal felt the urge to burn Uma for her tone, but closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm and reminding herself the reason why she is here.

"Looks like I struck a nerve there," said Uma, laughing. "What makes you think I'll help you?"

"Because I know you want this kingdom for yourself," said Mal. "Besides, we both know you were never a big fan of CJ."

Uma nodded. For once, Mal said something she agreed with. While she adored Harry, his younger sister has been kind of a nuisance to her. CJ never approved of Uma for Harry, but her disapproval didn't mean a thing to her brother, who continued to hang out and flirt with Uma no matter what the blonde pirate said. Still, that didn't stop CJ from being a thorn on Uma's side.

"What's in it for me?" asked Uma.

"I figured you'd say that," said Mal. "If you help me, you can take command of CJ's crew."

"So, basically, you're trying to stop a threat to start a threat?" Uma pointed out.

"Better you than her," said Mal. "CJ's changed. She's more reckless. Unpredictable. I can't let her roam free around Auradon anymore."

"And what does Ben think about this?" asked Uma.

Mal stayed silent and turned away at the mention of her boyfriend's name. Uma quickly figures out what Mal's silence meant and smiled wickedly.

"He doesn't know you're here," Uma guessed. "Is the Lady of the Court actually going behind her King's back? Ooh, I like this..."

"Not another word, Shrimpy," Mal interrupted her.

Uma's nerves tensed with anger at the sound of her horrendous nickname. She was just itching to wrap one of her tentacles around her throat, but the thought of her begging for help was too good for her to change the current situation.

Mal started sniffing. "I can smell shrimp and magic. You tried using magic to fix your hair, didn't you?"

"And nothing works," said Uma, crossing her arms in disappointment. "It just made it worse, so I had to revert it back to that nasty smell your cursed me with."

Mal chuckles evilly at the memory. It was one of her favorite bad deeds back on the Isle of the Lost. Even as a little girl, she wanted everyone to know that she can back up her title as the daughter of Maleficent. If anyone crosses her, like Uma did when she laughed at the thought of her drowning, she would do something so terrible that it will haunt them for the rest of their life.

"So, what do you say?" Mal asked. "Will you help me?"

"Let me ask you something first," said Uma. "Why come to me? You and your friends seem to have all the magic you need to take down CJ, Harry, and their crew."

"I'm afraid that's my little secret," said Mal.

Uma floats closer towards Mal so she can look at her in the eye and read her. Mal remained stoic, which made it hard for Uma to figure her out.

"What makes you so sure you can trust me?" asked Uma.

"I trust that you don't want to be taking orders from CJ in case she takes over Auradon," said Mal.

"If I help you, I become captain again?" asked Uma.

"Then we can settle the score between us once and for all," Mal added.

"One more thing," said Uma. "What's my name?"

Mal was tempted to tease her again with the nickname she gave her, but she knew that if she was going to gain Uma's cooperation, she would have to satisfy her.

"Uma," said Mal.

Uma smiled, happy to hear her real name come out of Mal's mouth for a chance.

* * *

At Castle Beast, Evie and Jay were walking straight for Ben's office to talk to him. Carlos was right behind them, running after them. He gets in front of them and holds both his hand up, trying to step them from walking any further.

"Guys, don't," said Carlos.

"Didn't you agree with us that what Mal did was wrong?" Evie asked.

"Yes, but it's not our secret to tell," said Carlos. "Besides, if Mal finds out we told Ben, she'll kill us. Given her recent erratic behavior, she might just _literally_ kill us."

"We can't let this go on, dude," said Jay. "You heard Mal. She wants to use evil to stop CJ. If that means burning down the entire kingdom to do so, no way are we just sitting down to watch it happen."

"Jay's right. As much as I don't want to believe it, Mal's dangerous and we can't feed into her dark desires," said Evie. "We have to tell Ben."

Jay shoves Carlos aside as he and Evie proceed to Ben's office. He continues running after them. The blue-haired narcissist and the former R.O.A.R. captain enter the King's office. He was currently signing papers. They were a bit surprised to see the huge pile of papers on his desk. No wonder he's busy all the time, they thought.

"Ben, we need to talk to you," said Evie.

"Can it wait a while? I have over a hundred papers to sign and Debora says I have to finish them today," said Ben.

"This is serious, Ben," said Jay. "It's about Mal."

"If this is about her spell book, my answer is still no," said Ben.

"Yeah, well, that won't matter anymore," said Evie. "Because..."

Evie is cut off by the sound of the door opening. She turns around and sees Carlos, who had a grave look on his face.

"Guys, Mal's back," he said.

"Wait, you mean she left?" asked Ben.

"Yes, but now she's back and she brought a, dare I say it, old friend," said Carlos.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Carlos leads his friends to Mal's room in the castle, where the purple-haired sorceress is. Evie, Jay, and Ben were shocked to see who Mal's "old friend" was. It was Uma, sitting on the couch trying out her new phone, which Mal gave her. She had used her mother's necklace to change her tentacles back to legs so she can walk on land.

"Hi, everyone," Uma greeted, waving at them.

"Hi," Jay greeted her casually.

"You don't look happy to see me," said Uma.

"Can you blame us?" Evie asked with contempt.

"Not really," said Uma. "I did try to drown you all last time."

"Good to know we understand each other," said Carlos, contempt present in his tone.

Evie looks at her best friend with disbelief.

"When you said you were out to do something stupid, I never imagined it was something like _this_ ," said Evie, gesturing to Uma.

"Why is she even here?" asked Jay.

"Uma's here to help us fight CJ," said Mal.

"What?!" Evie, Jay, and Carlos exclaimed simultaneously.

Ben asks, "How did you convince her?"

"Promising her the captain's hat and addressing her by her real name," Mal answered.

"And what makes you think we can trust her?" asked Jay. "How do you know she won't just betray us and join CJ?"

"Because I don't like taking orders, and you all should know that pretty well by now," said Uma. "When the villain kids take over Auradon, I want to be the one remembered for leading them to victory, not CJ."

Carlos, baffled, looks at Mal and says, "So, you're just gonna trade one threat for another? That's your play?"

"You guys don't want me to go too far, so I asked help from someone who isn't tied to anyone," said Mal.

"As in, I get to do whatever I want?" asked Uma.

"There are still lines I'm going to make sure you don't cross," Mal threatened her.

"Looks like Auradon's turned you into a killjoy," Uma criticized.

Mal walks towards Uma for an up-close conversation. "Let's make it clear, shall we. I don't like you. You don't like me. I know you would rather stick your sword into my heart than help me save Auradon. I know I would rather burn you to ash than ask you for help. You help me take down CJ, you get yourself a crew to help you take over. You play with me in any way, that shrimpy smell in your hair won't be the only thing you'll be complaining about for the rest of your life."

"I was wrong. You do still have some fire in you," said Uma.

"Be glad I'm not unleashing it on you," said Mal.

Once again, Mal's friends and boyfriend are concerned for Mal's recent behavior. The way she threatened Uma was definitely different from the angry, vengeful Mal they knew. This was something different, and it scares them to know what it is.

"Mal, can I talk to you in private?" Ben asked.

Ben walks Mal outside the room and closes the door behind them, leaving Uma with Evie, Jay, and Carlos.

"This is gonna be fun," said Uma, appearing excited for the war.

Evie curls her hands into fists as she approaches Uma, but Jay grabs her shoulder and pulls her back, nodding at her so she won't do anything unnecessarily reckless.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Outside the door, Ben talks to Mal about her decision to bring Uma into the fold.

"Mal, you know I support you no matter what, but you should've come to me first before coming to Uma," said Ben.

"No, I don't," said Mal.

"Yes, you do," said Ben.

"You may be the king of this kingdom, but you're my boyfriend. You listen to me," said Mal.

"Okay, then I'd like to listen to you tell me the truth," said Ben. "Why ask Uma for help? I know this is more than just about defeating CJ."

Mal opened her mouth for a second before closing it again. She didn't know if she could trust Ben with the truth. Instead of speaking, she reaches into her jacket and takes out her spell book, shocking the young king.

"You stole back your mother's spell book?" Ben asked, slightly furious.

"It isn't stealing if it's mine," said Mal.

"Then why wasn't I informed of a break-in at the museum?" asked Ben.

"A replica," Mal answered. "I'm really sorry, Ben, but I needed this."

"To save Auradon or to get revenge?" Ben questioned her.

"I just want this war to end, Ben," said Mal. "CJ and her crew have magic. It's only fair we have some of our own."

"Mal, there is a reason I said no," said Ben.

"You're afraid I'll become like my mother, is that it?" Mal accused. "Is that what you're worried about? That I'll let my magic fuel my anger and become the new Mistress of Evil?"

"It's not like that," said Ben.

"Well, it sounds like it!" Mal snapped. "As for Uma, I asked her to come because, unlike me, she doesn't have people who prohibit her from using magic. I needed someone who isn't tethered to help me get the job done, because you and everyone else are just gonna keep me in check."

"You know I'm just worried about you," said Ben.

"Well, stop worrying," said Mal. "I know I'm angry, but maybe that's what I need to be. I can't afford to show weakness in this war. I have to be strong."

"Anger isn't strength," said Ben.

"Not the way I see it," said Mal. "Uma stays with us until I decide what to do with her. The question is, do you trust me?"

"I... I..." Ben wished he can say he does, but then he would be lying.

Mal looks at the engagement ring around her finger, reminding herself that she is an engaged woman. Yet, she and Ben just had their first fight a few hours into their engagement. She looks back at Ben, who continued to stay silent, clearly afraid to give her the obvious answer.

"Ben, I love you, you know that," said Mal.

"I do," said Ben.

"But right now, we have a war to fight," said Mal. "You have to give Evie back her mirror now. Now that we have Uma on our side, all that's left now is to find CJ. I can't just sit around and wait for her to make her move first if it involves hurting more innocent people just to draw my attention."

"I'll talk to Fairy God Mother again," said Ben.

Mal turns around and walks away from Ben. He can't believe how fast everything is moving. Earlier today, they were both happy because he had proposed and she said yes. Now, they were at odds with each other over the use of magic and trust. Once again, Ben worries about how Mal has been acting lately. He knew she was angry about her previous encounter with CJ, but this was more than just anger. He can only hope that she learns that there are limits to one's actions so she can see how her decisions are affecting everyone, especially him.

* * *

Later that day, Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos, Uma, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, and Dizzy are gathered in Mal's room. Dizzy was smiling and waving nervously at Uma, who just ignored her. The three Auradon kids were trying to remain quiet as to not start a scene, especially with the non-friendly way Evie was looking at Uma.

Someone comes in through the door and Mal was sort of disappointed that it was not Ben. It was Freddie.

"Hey, I heard we have a visitor," said Freddie, laying eyes on the daughter of Ursula. "Uma."

"Freddie," Uma greeted her.

The two glared at each other, which increased the awkwardness in the room's atmosphere, causing everyone to look back and forth between the two.

"I take it you two know each other," Jane guessed. "Oh, wait. That was stupid. Of course, you two know each other. It's just... it looked like you two have some history together judging by the stares and..."

"Uh, Jane, you might want to stop," said Carlos, afraid that Jane might start something no one wanted to see begin.

Jane puts her hand over her mouth so she can stop talking.

"So, uh, what's the story between you two?" Doug asked curiously.

"Pretty much everyone on the Isle said that me and Freddie look like sisters," said Uma.

"While we may _look_ like sisters, we definitely don't treat each other like sisters," said Freddie.

"You two do look kinda alike," said Lonnie, looking at the two villain kids closely, seeing the resemblance between them.

Freddie rolls her eyes before glaring at Uma again.

"What brings you here?" asked Freddie.

"Your Lady asked for my assistance, so here I am," said Uma.

Freddie stared at Uma with suspicion. She finds it hard to believe that Uma would just agree to help someone she hated for half her life.

Before more words can be spoken, Ben enters the room with a familiar object in his hand. It was Evie's Magic Mirror. He returns it to its rightful owner. Evie couldn't help but feel happy to be holding her mirror again. A part of her had always regretted giving it up, even though she knew it was the right thing to do. She had always loved looking at herself through it, which is what she was doing right now.

"Evie!" Mal snaps her fingers, annoyed by her friend's sudden ignorance of the situation.

Evie stood straight as she looked into her mirror. "Mirror, mirror, in my hand, where is CJ Hook in our land?"

The mirror lights up and shows an image of CJ Hook and her crew walking towards a cliff located by the ocean. Ben looked closer as the location seemed familiar to him.

"I know that place. That's Dragon Point. It's just outside Auroria," said Ben.

"Suit up," Mal ordered. "It's go time."

 **Get ready for Team Mal vs. Team CJ, Round 2 in the next chapter. By the way, have your ever imagined China Anne McClain and Lauryn McClain in the same room playing their characters, Uma and Freddie, respectively? I have. I just thought the "sisters" thing would be a fun nod to the relationship of the actresses who portray them. Don't you think?**


	9. What Have I Done?

**It's going down... again. Get ready for Round 2 of Team Mal vs. Team CJ. I hope you're ready. I have to warn you, though. You may wanna brace yourself for what might "happen," though. Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, top story, Just A Guest, silverwolf**

 ** _To silverwolf_: No, not really, but it's a nice thought.**

The Lost Pearl docks at the shore near Dragon's Point. CJ takes a look at the map she found at the Border Lands as she leads her crew to where the final treasure chest is buried. Zevon and Ginny constantly shove each other while Gil walks alongside CJ, flexing his muscles at her. CJ tried to ignore him and focused on the map.

"This treasure better be worth it," said Ginny.

"That's what I'm hoping for," said CJ.

CJ then stops and the crew followed.

"We dig here," said CJ, pointing in between two boulders.

Harry and Gil started digging a hole. Gil accidentally tossed dirt at Zevon's face, which caused Ginny to laugh. Zevon retaliates by throwing dirt at her face, and the slap fight begins. When they accidentally got dirt on Maddy's face, the two-way fight becomes a three-way fight. CJ rolls her eyes and decides not to get involved.

"Found it, captain," said Harry.

Harry and Gil lift the treasure chest and throw it out of the hole. CJ opens the chest with the key and is delighted to find more gold and magical potions inside. She digs through the treasure and found what she was looking for. The last fragment. Like the other two, it was bronze and glyphs were written on it.

"What's that?" asked Gil.

"We'll find out back on the ship," said CJ.

"Oh, you're not going anywhere."

The villain kid crew turns their heads to the direction of the familiar voice. Standing not too far from their position is Mal, accompanied by Evie, Jay, Carlos, Ben, Lonnie, Freddie, and, to their surprise, Uma.

"Freddie, hi," CJ greeted her ex-friend. "How's it been?"

"Oh, life's been good," said Freddie. "No regrets about abandoning you, in case you're wondering."

"As great it is to see you again, why'd you change your mind?" asked CJ.

Freddie takes out three playing cards and lights them on fire with her magic.

"So, Benny's allowed you to use magic, I see," said CJ.

"Not exactly," said Ben.

Mal elbows Ben on his side, shutting him up. Ben does the wise thing and silences himself.

"Uma!" Harry called, surprised to see her among the enemy. "What are you doing with them?"

"You'll find out at the end of this, Harry," said Uma.

"This ends here," said Mal.

"Oh, but the story is far from over, Malsy," said CJ.

"No, the story is just about over," said Mal, drawing her sword.

"This should be fun," said Uma, drawing her sword.

"You know you're being a little unfair, right, Malsy?" said CJ. "Eight of you and only six of us."

"I'm done playing fair," said Mal.

"Ben and I will seize the treasure," said Lonnie.

"Good idea," Ben agreed.

And so, another fight breaks out between Mal's friends and CJ's crew. Mal and CJ engage in another sword fight. Uma squares off against her former fist mate, Harry. Jay takes on Gil. Evie engages Ginny in a rematch. Freddie and Zevon face off in a magical battle. Maddy turns into a dog and runs after Carlos. Ben and Lonnie grab the chest and drag it away.

"Gil! Stop them!" CJ ordered while fighting Mal.

Jay and Gil were currently caught in a lock. Gil pushes Jay down and goes after Ben and Lonnie. A two-against-one sword fight begins, which Gil immediately loses when Ben knocks his sword off his hands, followed by a kick to the hip, courtesy of Lonnie.

"Zevon! Shrink 'em or something!" CJ yelled while dodging Mal's swings.

Zevon dodges a flaming card thrown at him by Freddie, and then throws a potion at them. Ben and Lonnie duck, causing the potion to hit a boulder, shrinking it.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Maddy, in dog form, continues barking at Carlos, who was just standing with his arms crossed, acting disinterested.

"News flash, Maddy: I'm not afraid of dogs anymore," said Carlos.

Carlos takes out another silver sphere and drops it next to Maddy. The sphere latches on to Maddy's skin and electrocutes her until she passes out. After she did, her body transformed back into human form. Carlos pulls the sphere off her and smiles at his reflection on the sphere, proud of himself for inventing such a useful tool. If someone would ask him the science behind it, he would tell them that the sphere is attracted to one's bioelectricty and amplifies it, giving them a shock that sends them into unconsciousness.

"Nighty-night," Carlos teased the unconscious witch.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ was winning her sword fight against Mal, striking and moving faster than her. Mal counters by snapping her fingers, creating a small fire, which she tosses to the ground, lighting a huge fire that acts as a wall between her and CJ. While CJ was distracted by the fire, Mal teleports herself behind the pirate. Mal catches CJ in a choke hold and twists her wrist, making her drop her sword.

"Can't beat me in a fair fight so you use magic, I'm liking this," said CJ, smirking.

"Don't make me do something we'll both regret," Mal threatened her, holding her sword against her neck.

"Oh, we both know you don't want to do that," said CJ.

"No, but if you don't surrender now, I might," said Mal seriously.

"Tell me, Malsy. Don't you ever miss this?" CJ asked. "Threatening others. Holding their lives in your hands. Smirking as you think of the ways you can hurt them."

Mal responds by choking CJ harder, feeling provoked. CJ tried to pry Mal's arm off her, but it was no use. Mal's grip was too strong.

"You should be thinking about what I'm gonna do to you if you don't tell your crew to stand down," said Mal.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Evie manages to keep herself standing against Ginny, mainly because she wore shoes with shorter heels this time. She blocks Ginny's spin strike and then kicks her down to the ground. Ginny gets up and takes a potion. She throws it at Evie. The blue smoke engulfs her, causing her to feel woozy. She begins to lose balance as she aimlessly walks backwards until she tripped on a rock, falling down on her back.

"Feeling sleepy?" Ginny teased.

Ginny was about to strike Evie, until the blue-haired narcissist, using whatever strength she has left in her, takes out her mirror and shines it light by simply chanting, "Mirror, mirror, shine your bright light." Ginny is blinded by the mirror's light, giving Evie time to get back on her feet. She hits Ginny in the face with her sword's handle, knocking her out.

"Don't worry. I'll be unconscious in a few seconds," said Evie.

A few seconds later, Evie passes out.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Uma was giving it all she's got, but Harry was holding back, leading to him getting cut on the shoulder. Harry decides to fight harder and so he did, striking harder, giving Uma a hard time. They catch each other in a lock. Harry adds his hook to the budge, pushing Uma backwards. Uma walked backwards until they were both hidden behind a large rock.

"I missed this," said Uma, enjoying herself.

"Why are you doing this, Uma?" asked Harry. "Don't tell me you've turned your back on evil as well."

"I'm not," said Uma. "Since we're in this position, let's talk, shall we?"

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Jay and Gil get caught in a lock, but Jay escapes it by kneeing Gil in the chest. The two traded swings. To Jay's surprise, Gil started swinging faster, making it harder for him to keep up. After getting caught in another lock, Jay uses his strength to push Gil a few feet away from him.

"For a numskull, you're good with a sword," said Jay.

"What's a numskull?" asked Gil.

"Never mind," said Jay.

Jay takes a swing, which Gil blocks. Jay kicks Gil in the calf before punching him in the face, knocking him down.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Freddie manages to finally hit Zevon with one of her flaming cards. It slashed his forearm just as he was about to throw another potion, which he dropped. The potion smashes on the ground and unleashes it spell on its creator. Zevon started walking backwards, much Freddie's amusement, especially considering he used a potion like this on her once.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Freddie taunted him.

"Wait 'til I get my hands on you," said Zevon angrily.

Zevon walked backwards in order to walk forward. Freddie takes out three more playing cards, charged with voodoo magic, and throws them at Zevon. The magical explosion knocks him unconscious.

"Sweet dreams, Zevon," she teased.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ escapes from Mal's grip by stepping on her foot and then elbowing her in the face. CJ picks up both her sword and Mal's and runs towards Ben and Lonnie, who were still guarding the treasure chest. She takes them on at the same time. Ben and Lonnie were surprised by how skilled she was fighting with two swords. She was countering their every move and reacting quickly to every swing.

CJ kicks Lonnie in the stomach, knocking her down, and then uses both her swords to knock Ben's away from him. She points both swords at Ben's face, forcing him to walk away from the chest. Lonnie runs up behind CJ, but the blonde pirate hears her coming. Lonnie dodges CJ's kick and then kicks her in the same spot the pirate kicked her earlier. CJ falls down and drops both swords.

"I have to admit, you're good," Lonnie admitted. "Your father must be a pretty good teacher."

"Harry, Harriet, and I mostly taught each other. We spar once in a while," said CJ.

"I think it's nice," said Ben. "You and your siblings bonding. It shows that you do care."

"Harry, maybe, but not Harriet," said CJ.

"Why?" Ben asked.

"I'm really getting bored of this conversation," said CJ.

While CJ and Lonnie sword-fight, Mal picks herself up from the ground, holding her bruised cheek, courtesy of CJ's elbow. She can see Lonnie losing her fight. CJ kicks Lonnie down again and slashes Ben's leg. This angers Mal to the point where her eyes started to glow. She takes out her spell book and searches for a spell.

"Wind and water, sea and sky, lift my enemy up high," she chanted.

Mal waves her fingers and casts the spell on CJ, causing her to float high in the sky. The evil smile on Mal's face is a clear sign that she is enjoying the sight of CJ making a fool of herself in the air.

"You're having way too much fun," said Carlos.

"If you want, I can let her down," said Mal with a smirk.

"Uh, maybe you shouldn't," said Jay, sensing another bad spell coming.

Mal waves her fingers and undoes the spell, causing CJ to fall and land hard on her left shoulder. She struggles to get up as she is too busy grunting and holding her aching shoulder. Mal started cackling like her mother, amused by CJ's current state. Carlos and Jay fake-laughed just to amuse her.

"Hey, where's Evie?" Mal asked, hoping her best friend saw what happened to CJ.

"Sleeping," Carlos said, pointing at the unconscious blue-haired fashion designer.

Uma and Harry come out from behind the big rock, still swinging their swords at each other. Uma spin-jumps and strikes hard. Harry blocks it, but is staggered by the big blow. The two lock swords again. Uma's seashell necklace begins to glow, giving her more strength. She keeps on pushing until she unleashes a burst of magic that knocks Harry down to the ground. She points her sword at his face just in case he was thinking about standing up.

"Sorry, Harry, but if it makes you feel any better, we won't be like this for long," said Uma.

"I hope not," said Harry.

Uma hits Harry in the face with the other end of her sword, knocking him out. Mal walks up to CJ and stares her down.

"It's over, CJ," said Mal. "Don't make this harder for yourself. Just surrender."

"I told you, Mal. The story is far from over," said CJ, trying to speak through the pain. "You wanna know why?"

"Enlighten me," Mal said sarcastically.

"Because you and your friends have yet to see the truth," said CJ.

"The truth about what?" asked Evie, who had just woken up from her magical nap.

"You think you can just turn your back on evil and put on this princess act that you think everyone will buy?" CJ questioned.

"I'm no princess," Mal said.

"Good, we're getting somewhere," said CJ, getting back on her feet. "You see, Malsy, there are two sides of the coin. Good and evil. You flip that coin, you catch it, and see where it lands. Whatever side you got, you take it. Not only do you take it, you stick to it."

"Just get to the point," Mal interrupted, irritated by CJ's long monologue.

"I just want to show you guys that you can't turn your back on evil and get away with it," said CJ. "There's a price to pay for abandoning what you believe in."

"Well, Evie's got thousand of dollars back home," Jay joked.

Evie smacks Jay in response.

"This isn't a price you pay with money. It's a price you pay by learning a very important lesson," said CJ.

"And what lesson would that be?" Mal asked.

"You'll find out," said CJ. "Until then... Maddy, now!"

Maddy, who has finally woken up, transforms into a hawk and snatches Mal's spell book from her hand.

"Hey!" Mal shouted.

Maddy started flying towards the ocean. Mal grabs her sword and runs after her. The rest of her friends were gonna follow, until the rest of CJ's crew, all who have finally regained consciousness, stepped in their way.

"She was stalling," Ben realized.

"Thank you, King Obvious," replied Freddie.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal continues running after Maddy, only to see that she was heading straight for the edge of Dragon Point. Mal knew she had to get Maddy down before she ends up running off the cliff and falling into the water. Even if her magic can protect her from drowning, she needed to ground Maddy right now, literally. Mal throws a fireball at Maddy, but misses. She creates another fireball and takes a deep breath, trying to steel herself for the next throw.

Mal throws the fireball and, this time, successfully hits Maddy. Her feathers catch on fire as she falls down from the sky, dropping Mal's spell book.

Mal retrieves her spell book while Maddy rolls around the ground, trying to extinguish the flames on her. She transforms back into a human just as she put out all the flames. Her clothes were and hair were slightly burned but she still had the strength to stand up.

"Sorry to ruffle your feathers," Mal quipped. "But you shouldn't have tried to steal my spell book."

"Well, sorry, Mal, but it's captain's orders," said Maddy.

"CJ knew I'd bring this with me," Mal guessed. "Not only did she get crazier, she's gotten smarter."

"Smart enough to beat you and your friends," said Maddy.

Maddy transforms again. Unfortunately, she turned into a mouse, causing Mal to laugh at her embarrassment.

"What are you gonna do, pipsqueak? Chew on my skin?" Mal mocked her former friend.

Maddy tries again and, this time, successfully transforms into a tiger. She growls as she prepares to attack Mal. Mal opens her spell book quickly, searching for the spell she needs. She mutters an incantation under her breath as she waved her finger. Maddy pounces, but when Mal touched her paw with her finger, she suddenly reverts back to human form and lands on her stomach.

"What the heck?" Maddy tried to transform, but couldn't.

Mal grabs Maddy by the neck and pushes closer to the edge of the cliff. Maddy turns her head to see the ocean below the cliff. It definitely looked like a long fall.

"Why can't I use my magic?" asked Maddy.

"Anti-magic touch," Mal answered. "You can't use your magic until I turn it back on."

"Feels funny, doesn't it?" Maddy said. "Last time we were in a situation like this, I pushed you into the water and left you to die. Care to return the favor?"

Mal's eyes glowed as the temptation to let go became harder and harder to resist.

"No," Mal said.

Mal removes her hand from Maddy's throat.

"I'm not you," said Mal. "I'm my own person."

Mal turns her back on Maddy and walks back to her friends. She stopped when the young witch spoke.

"I was wrong," said Maddy. "Well, sort of. I thought that Auradon turned you into some goody-two-shoes princess, but CJ helped me see that I was wrong. You still have a little bit of the old Mal in you. I could see it in your eyes. You wanted to drop me. You should've."

"Well, you're making me wish I had," said Mal.

"This isn't over, Mal," said Maddy. "Not only are we gonna take over Auradon, but we're gonna prove to you that you haven't changed."

"I have changed," Mal stated.

"Doesn't look like it to me," said Maddy. "You can't save Auradon, Mal. Not as a hero, because you're no hero."

"Maddy, enough," Mal said, feeling her anger rising.

"We're gonna help you see that, even if we have to force you," said Maddy. "We'll prove to you that you're not one of them, even if we have to go after your precious Bennyboo..."

Enraged by the threat against the man she loved, Mal draws her sword and quickly runs it through Maddy's stomach. Maddy looks into Mal's eyes. They were glowing with the color green. Clearly, she riled her up. However, it seemed as if it just cost her a great deal of pain. Mal then kicks Maddy off the cliff, watching her fall into the ocean. Without her magic, Maddy drowned. Mal can see the bubbles popping on the surface, meaning that Maddy must be struggling to breath. A few seconds later, the bubbles stopped popping.

"Good riddance," Mal said.

Mal begins walking back to her friends, until she stopped when she realized what she just did. She looks at her sword, eyeing the blood staining it. Maddy's blood. Maddy, who she just stabbed, kicked off a cliff, and left to drown.

"What have I done?" Mal asked herself, horrified by what just happened.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Down below, Mal's friends are still fighting CJ's crew. Ben and Lonnie were, once again, engaged in a two-against-one sword fight with CJ. Freddie and Zevon were throwing magic at each other. Carlos and Jay double-team on Gil and easily take him down. Evie continues to play dirty against Ginny. Uma and Harry flirt with each other as they fought each other.

"I see you've grown your hair. I rather prefer this one," said Harry.

"Thanks. I miss it, too," Uma replied.

"Less flirting, more fighting!" Carlos yelled, kicking Gil in the chest just as he was about to stand up.

Ben gets knocked down by CJ, via a kick to the chest. While on the ground, he can see Mal slowly walking towards them. Something was wrong with her, however. She appeared to be in despair. He weaves his way through the battlefield, avoiding Evie and Ginny's catfight and ducking under Freddie's cards and Zevon's potions along the way.

"Mal, what's wrong?" asked Ben. "Where's Maddy?"

"Maddy's dead," Mal said weakly.

"What?" Ben was surprised to hear this.

Mal collapses to her knees. Ben kneels down and comforts her. CJ can see this and decides that it's time to make an exit.

"Everyone, back to the Pearl!" CJ shouted to her crew.

CJ and every member of her crew each pulled out magic potions and threw them to the ground, magically teleporting themselves and the treasure chest away from the fight. Now that the fight is over, everyone turned their attention to Mal and Ben. Ben was embracing Mal, who appeared haunted, judging by the near-blank expression on her face.

"What happened?" Evie asked.

"I'm not sure, but from I've heard so far, Mal killed Maddy," said Ben.

Everyone was shocked to hear this. Did Ben just say that Mal actually "killed" someone? The blood on Mal's sword was an indicator of something, that's for sure.

"It was an accident," Mal lied. "I just wanted my spell book back and... I lost control. She fed into my rage and I let her."

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay," Ben said, trying to calm down his fiance. "You didn't mean to do it. That doesn't make you evil."

Evie kneels down and places a comforting hand on Mal's shoulder, looking at her best friend with concern and sympathy. She was clearly shaken up from what she did. No one said a word as they let Evie and Ben comfort the troubled Mal.

 **GASP! Mal just did what? I did warn you to brace yourselves. This story is heading deeper into dark waters, so I hope you're prepared for what else might come next. I'm already excited for the future chapters. I hope you are, too.**


	10. Hooked

**Before we explore Mal's emotional state caused by the events of the previous chapter, it's time to turn the attention back to the villains of the story.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following user who reviewed the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Bal-Breelice04081998, top story, Guest21**

Harry, Gil, Ginny, and Zevon stood in the middle of the deck of The Lost Pearl, watching their captain pace back and forth with her arms crossed and an impatient look on her face. They have been waiting for an hour for Mad Maddy to return, obviously so CJ can yell at her for failing to steal Mal's spell book. CJ could see the spell book in Mal's hands before they had to retreat, meaning Maddy did not succeed in the task she was assigned to accomplish.

"Where is she?" CJ wondered.

"Probably enjoying herself," Gil guessed. "I'm sure she must love the feeling of flying."

"Or she's trying to stay away from CJ because she knows she's in big trouble," Ginny guessed.

"Let's think," said CJ. "Last we saw her, she was flying off with the spell book. She appeared to have flew directly over Dragon's Point, but since we were too busy fighting, none of us have any idea of what happened to her. One thing we know for sure, Mal retrieved her spell book."

"Only one way to find out," said Harry. "We go back. Those Bore-adonian goody-goodies have probably left by now."

"Good," said CJ. "Turn this ship around!"

"Aye, aye, cap'n!" Harry obeyed, running to the quarterdeck to steer the ship.

"Ginny, hoist the main sail!" CJ ordered.

"On it, captain," Ginny replied, doing as she is told.

"Gil, prepare the anchor!" CJ shouted.

"Anything for you, cutie," said Gil, wiggling his eyebrows at CJ.

CJ puts her hand on Gil's chest and puts on a fake smile, amusing him, before pushing him away and towards where the anchor is.

"Zevon, start examining the potions," CJ ordered.

"No problem," said Zevon, heading into the ship's dining room where the treasure chests are kept.

"No problem, _captain_ ," CJ corrected him. "Sheesh! I know this is no pirate crew, but would it kill him to show me the respect I deserve?"

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ and her crew return to Dragon Point. They, minus Zevon who had to stay on the ship and check on the new potions, climb up the cliff and investigate. They were quick to notice the blood stains on the grass, as well as the burnt ones. CJ gets down and plucks one blade of grass, taking a closer look at the dried red liquid on it. Harry stands next to his sister to take a look as well.

"Someone's blood was spilled," said Harry, lightly poking the blade of grass with his hook.

"And since Malsy got her spell book back, it's safe to say it's Maddy's," CJ guessed.

"What about those?" Ginny pointed at the burnt grass. "My guess, Mal used fire magic to ground Maddy."

"Obviously, the blood and the burns aren't connected," said CJ, fiddling with the blade of grass she's holding. "Which means there's only one place Maddy could be."

CJ walks closer to the edge and looks down at the ocean. The rest can tell what she was thinking.

"You'd really think Mal would be angry enough to make her bleed and then drown her?" Ginny questioned.

"Doesn't Maddy have magic?" Gil asked. "Couldn't she just turn into a fish and swim?"

"Good thing I brought diving gear," said CJ.

"And by _brought_ , you mean _stole_ ," Ginny guessed.

"I'm not wasting my treasure on diving masks," CJ said.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ and Harry grab the oxygen tanks and diving masks from The Lost Pearl and dive into the ocean. They decided to dive from Dragon Point so if Maddy was, indeed, pushed off the cliff, they can narrow the search. They immediately see a trail of red liquid leading to the bottom. It was blood, that was sure. The two Hook siblings dive deeper. Since they were not too far from the shore, the bottom was too far deep.

What they found on the sandy bottom of the waters is Mad Maddy. She wasn't moving and the blood was leaking from a wound of hers.

Harry carries the body as he follows his sister back to the surface. They returned to the ship and Harry drops Maddy in the middle of the deck. The rest of the crew were a little uncomfortable to see her like this, especially the bleeding wound on her stomach. CJ draws her sword and holds the point close to the wound.

"Definitely a stab from a sword," said CJ.

"So, Mal stabbed Maddy and then pushed her off the cliff, leaving her to drown," said Harry.

"But what about the whole being-able-to-turn-into-a-fish thing?" Gil asked.

"Mal's smart. She wouldn't just let Maddy drown knowing she can use her magic to save herself," said CJ.

"She had her spell book. Must've taken away her magic or something," Zevon guessed.

"Wow, it seems you're more than just a bighead after all," Ginny replied, mocking Zevon again.

Zevon growled, but stopped when CJ raises her finger, forcing him to silence himself.

"Mal killed Maddy, that's pretty clear," said CJ.

"Now we've lost our only magical member of the crew," said Harry. "What now, captain?"

"We go back to the Isle and break the bad news to Madam Mim and her granddaughters," said CJ.

"And after that?" Ginny asked.

"We find out," CJ answered.

"Find out what?" Gil asked.

"If Mal killed Maddy in self-defense, or if she did because she wanted to," said CJ.

* * *

Using the remote that CJ stole from Ben's office, The Lost Pearl returns to the Isle of the Lost. The villain kid crew spread the news of Mad Maddy's death. The young witch's sisters were saddened by this news, while Madam Mim didn't seem shaken by the news. No one was surprised since the villains never really cared for their children.

CJ soon disappears so Harry went looking for her. He finds her at their father's inlet, having a drink. Harry orders a drink and sits next to his sister. She wasn't happy, that was clear.

"You a'right?" Harry asked.

"I'll answer that question once we find out what Mal really did to Maddy," said CJ.

"You really think we made her mad enough for her to take a life on purpose?" asked Harry.

"Mal carved her initial on poor little Carlos' shoulder just for messing up her graffiti," CJ reminded him. "If Mal _did_ kill Maddy on purpose, it's gotta be because Maddy provoked her or something."

"You really know her well," said Harry.

"Everyone on this island know what Mal is like," said CJ.

"Yes, but this is different. It's like you two share a history," said Harry.

"Malsy and I like to keep our history a secret," said CJ.

"From what I've seen so far, it seems you two really hate each other," said Harry.

"I don't hate Mal, Harry. I've always respected her," said CJ. "It's just that we have a habit of getting in each other's way, that's all. It doesn't sit well for both of us."

"Guess we both have something in common," said Harry. "Mal."

"I'm kinda surprised you still check her out after all this time," said CJ. "I thought you were obsessed with Uma."

"Uma," Harry repeated, thinking about the daughter of Ursula.

"Even so much as saying her name triggers you," said CJ. "Don't worry, Harry. Knowing Uma, she's probably only helping Malsy because she found some kind of opportunity in it."

"I assume you would not want Uma to take over Auradon first, am I right?" Harry guessed.

"Honestly, Harry. I'm beginning to question your loyalty," said CJ. "Now that Uma is part of our little war, I'm concerned you'll come crawling back to her."

"My dedication to our cause has never been stronger," Harry promised.

CJ looks at Harry with a bleak expression on her face. "I'm gonna need more convincing that that, bro..."

The blonde pirate was interrupted by the sound of the wooden doors opening. Entering the inlet of Captain Hook is someone the two siblings didn't want to see. It was the eldest of Hook's children. Harriet Hook. Her shoulder-length brown hair styled to be as wavy as the ocean itself and the look on her face is nearly as intimidating as Mal's, scaring most of the youth on the Isle.

"Look who's back. My dear brother and sister," Harriet spoke.

"Not today, Harriet," said Harry.

"Why the attitude, Harry? Aren't you glad to see your own sister?" Harriet replied.

"I think our history answers that question," said Harry.

Harriet sits down next to her younger sister, CJ. CJ was just drinking her cider, avoiding eye contact with Harriet. Harriet puts her hand on the bottom of the mug and spills the cider all over CJ's face. Everyone gasped just as Harry held his hook under Harriet's chin.

"Getting defensive, aren't we?" Harriet reacted, surprised. "And I thought you only had a soft spot for Uma."

"If I were you, sis, I'd keep my mouth shut," said CJ.

"Harry, you wouldn't hurt your own sister, wouldn't you?" Harriet asked, pretending to sound like a sweet girl.

"Uh, he threatened to hook me for abandoning the Isle a few days ago," CJ said. "It's clear he's not above hooking his own sisters."

"We both know why you're in a bad mood, Harriet," said Harry. "You're upset that we didn't invite you to our crew."

"I expected you wouldn't, but that doesn't make it hurt any less," said Harriet. "We're family, yet you two left me behind. Is this about me being Daddy's favorite?"

"You always acted like the boss of us just because you're the eldest among us, and we're sick of it," said Harry, still keeping his hook close to Harriet's throat. "Dad was always proud of you. He always put you ahead of us. Always Harriet, that's how this family goes."

"Only because I've done more than you two combined," said Harriet. "I've beaten every one of dad's crew in sword-fighting. I've done my fair share of scares. I even assembled my own crew. And what have you two done? CJ's always off on adventures and comes home empty-handed. You, Harry, are too busy following Uma like a lost boy."

Provoked, Harry was about to make a move, until CJ grabbed his hook and pulled him away.

"She's not worth it, Harry," said CJ.

"So, what happens after you two take over Auradon? You're just gonna leave your own sister to rot here?" Harriet asked.

"We expect that the three of us will become a family. A real family, Harriet," said CJ. "Harry and I may not be close, but at least we value each other like a pirate's treasure, only we prefer to keep each other."

"That sounds almost like Auradonian talk, CJ," said Harriet. "Seems like waltzing around Heroes Kingdom has changed you."

CJ lets out a brief chuckle, one that unsettles even Harry a little bit.

"You won't be laughing once we raise the family flag on top of King Benny's castle," said CJ. "You'll see. We're just as fierce and dangerous as you, if not fiercer and more dangerous."

"We'll see," said Harriet.

"Don't you have a certain pompous wannabe prince you should be stalking right now?" Harry teased, aware of Harriet's attraction to a certain Anthony Tremaine.

Ignoring her brother, Harriet leaves the inlet, but not before stealing a mug of cider from a pirate, drinking half of it, and then dumping the rest on the pirate she stole the mug from.

"That was sweet of you, Harry," said CJ, almost sounding like she was mocking him. "Stepping in to protect me, very heroic of you."

"As much as I hate to admit it, it was the right thing to do," Harry said reluctantly. "No one threatens my baby sister, not even my big sister."

Harry playfully pokes CJ on the cheek with his hook.

"I guess I shouldn't doubt your loyalty," said CJ. "Yet."

 **I thought I'd give everyone an in-depth look on why Harry and CJ dislike their older sister, Harriet. I hope you like it. Even the villains of the story deserve the spotlight once in a while. Not all villains are meant to be hated. They deserve some attention.**


	11. Reflection

**Prepare for some drama and something freaky. You remember what Mal did a couple chapters ago, right? Well, you're about to see how she feels about it here.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: DragonEmperor999, top story, WinterFreeze MusicGirl, Bal-Breelice04081998, Luvs2Read, Charly**

 ** _To Bal-Breelice04081998_: I don't know about adding Anthony Tremaine to this story, but I did a bit of a rewrite at the end of the previous chapter. He still didn't show up, but he was mentioned. Check it out, if you want to.**

 ** _To Charly_: Thanks. I'm glad you think so. I'm really trying to make my stories feel like convincing continuities of Descendants 2.**

Mal was holed up in her room in Beast Castle. She has been silent and visibly distressed ever since the battle at Dragon Point. Evie, Jay, and Carlos have been standing outside her door for the past half-hour, wondering if they should go in or not. They know that Mal hates to take about her feelings, but the fact that they're her friends make it their business to know how she is feeling right now.

"Should we go in?" Jay wondered.

"We haven't heard any yelling or furniture smashing so I think it's safe," said Carlos, although he doubted his words a little.

"I still have a bad feeling about going in," said Evie.

"Maybe we'll send Carlos in alone," Jay suggested.

Both Evie and Carlos glare at Jay for his questionable suggestion.

"Every time she's upset, he calms her down," said Jay.

"This is a different kind of upset," said Carlos. "Besides, if anyone's qualified to confront an upset Mal alone, it's Ben."

"Well, Ben told us that Mal told him to give her some space and he's honoring her wishes, so he can't go in there right now," said Evie. "We're her family. It should be us."

Evie grabs the door handle, and paused for a moment. She felt a little nervous about confronting Mal. She knows that Mal is feeling regret right now, not anger, yet it still didn't help her build up more courage to open the door. She closes her eyes as she opens the door anyway, slowly walking inside, followed by the boys. What they found inside was more or less what they expected.

Mal was sitting on her bed, drinking a glass of what appears to be strawberry cider.

"Mal, put that away!" Evie cried, rushing towards her best friend.

Evie snatches the glass from Mal and throws it down to the floor, smashing it to pieces and leaving a small puddle of cider.

"Evie," Mal said, appearing to be trying to contain her anger. "If you want to give me a pep talk even if I don't want and/or need it, fine, but if you swipe a glass of strawberry cider from me like that again, you'll regret it dearly."

"You know I don't like it when you use that drink to cope with your emotional struggles," said Evie.

"Well, I don't know how else to deal with my emotional struggles right now!" Mal yelled as she stood up.

The boys stepped back while Evie looked even more worried about her friend.

"Mal, I get that a first kill must be traumatizing, but you shouldn't let this keep you away from us," said Evie.

"You have no idea how I feel," Mal growled.

"Not if you don't talk to us," Evie said.

"I'm probably the last person in this room you'd expect to hear this from, but if you don't open up, you're only gonna hurt yourself," said Jay.

Everyone looked at Jay. They were, indeed, surprised to hear these wise words from him.

"Jay's right," said Evie. "Mal, it was an accident. It wasn't all your fault."

"Is it wrong that I'm glad that Maddy's dead?" Mal asked suddenly. "I should not be taking pleasure in this, but the truth is, I'm happy that she's gone."

Evie, Jay, and Carlos were shocked to hear this. They know that a part of Mal will always enjoy inflicting harm on others, as shown by her purposely stepping on Ben's foot while they danced at the Neon Lights Ball, but this was something they didn't expect to hear from her.

Jay shoves Carlos towards Mal, hoping he'll be able to help her like he has before, twice. Even Evie agreed that Carlos should take on the task of comforting Mal by himself. She gently pushes him forward. Carlos glares at the blue-haired narcissist and the ex-thief before looking at Mal.

"Mal, I, uh, don't exactly know what to say right now," said Carlos.

"Then don't say anything," said Mal, refusing to listen any further.

Mal's eyes widened when she felt a hand grab hers. She turns around to see Carlos grabbing her hand with both of his own. He raised both their hands as he stared into her green eyes. Mal tried to look away, only to stare back at him. She pulls herself closer to him as she closed her eyes, letting his presence calm her rage.

"How do you think he does that?" Jay whispered to Evie.

"I don't know, but I don't care as long as it calms her down," Evie whispered back.

Mal opens her eyes as she slowly let go of Carlos. She looked up at him with a small smile on her face, one that brought a smile to his face. Evie couldn't help but sense the familiarity of Carlos' method in comforting Mal. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, though.

"Thanks, Carlos," said Mal, yawning shortly after saying the words of gratitude.

"Tired?" Carlos asked.

"Very," said Mal. "Look, I know you guys want to be there for me, but..."

"We know," said Evie. "Just don't drink any more cider, please."

"And try not to destroy anything. I mean, Ben did set all this up for you. It's a shame to just destroy everything," Jay added.

"I'll try," said Mal.

Mal hugged Carlos, much to Evie and Jay's surprise, before showing her friends out the door. She kneels down next to the puddle of cider, staring at her reflection. She dips her finger in the puddle, sips the cider off her finger, and then jumps into bed, preparing to go to sleep.

* * *

Mal lied down in the middle of her huge bed, not even bothering to rest her head on her pillow. She kept tossing and turning and moaning but she kept her eyes closed and tried to ignore her nightmares. However, she can hear a voice calling for her name. The voice sounded an awful lot like her mother.

"Mal! Mal, time to wake up! Mal!"

Mal opened her eyes and sat up, only to see that it wasn't her mother calling her name. Mal lights up a fire in her hand to light up a room in order to get a clearer sight of who called her name. Sitting down on the couch reading a book appears to be... her.

It was her. Mal. Only, she looked different. Her hair was wavy and had a darker shade of purple. She was wearing her purple leather jacket, minus the gold beads. Mal can remember that she looked like this six months ago. She was actually beginning to miss her old look. She thought of herself as menacing and cool with that look.

But wait, why was she looking at _herself_?

"I must be dreaming," Mal said to herself.

"Oh, you're not dreaming," said the other Mal. "I am you, Mal."

"I'm Mal," said Mal, pointing at herself.

"So am I," said Past Mal. "Just from the good old days."

"You mean the days where I scare children, fight other villain kids, and constantly disappoint my mother?" Mal replied sarcastically.

Past Mal closes her book, allowing Mal to see the title of the book. Sleeping Beauty.

"Such a beautiful tale, isn't it?" Past Mal said. "Sure, mom lost, but it was truly inspiring. The most evil sorceress in the land tried to carve her own story, but at the end of the day, the power of love triumphs over the forces of evil. Truly a valuable lesson for children, I admit."

Past Mal gets up from the couch and walks towards the cage placed on the bedside table that houses the tiny lizard that is Maleficent.

"Oh, how the might have fallen," Past Mal commented, looking down at her mother. "One minute, she had everything she needed to enact her revenge. The next, she loses to her own daughter in a stare-off and becomes a pathetic little reptile."

"What do you want?" Mal asked.

"To tell you what you won't admit to yourself," said Past Mal.

"If I wanted to talk to myself, I could just stare at a mirror," Mal sassed.

"I guess some things haven't changed," said Past Mal. "You still got the anger. The fire. The potential."

"Potential for what?" Mal asked.

"To be the worst of the worst," said Past Mal.

"That was a dream in the past," said Mal, lying back down on her bed.

Past Mal looks back at the tiny lizard in the glass cage. The lizard did nothing but stick its tongue out, which made Past Mal smile in amusement. She always admired rotten attitude in others.

"I'm surprised you kept her as a pet," said Past Mal. "If you really wanted to keep this kingdom safe from her, you should've destroyed her. Give her no chance to come back and threaten those you care about."

"I didn't destroy her, because I believe that, one day, I can teach her to love," said Mal.

"Love is weak," said Past Mal.

"Figures you would think that," said Mal, knowing she would've said the same thing in the past because her mother said it to her.

"The worst villain in history, and you think you can redeem her?" Past Mal laughed evilly at the thought. "Oh, Mal. Your head is in the wrong kind of clouds."

Past Mal snaps her fingers and sets the cage on fire, much to the horror of Mal. She watched as the glass cage melted before her eyes. When the fires ceased, there was nothing left but ash. Her mother, nowhere to be seen.

"No," she muttered sadly.

"Oh, you're better off without her in your life," said Past Mal. "She's never gonna be proud of you no matter what."

"No. No. This isn't happening," Mal said to herself, closing her eyes, trying to wake up.

"Oh, wake up, Mal," Past Mal said. "You're not a hero. You never were. You're not even an anti-hero."

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Mal shouted.

"Let's look at this way, shall we?" Past Mal continued. "You stole your spell book back. You lied to Ben. You went to Uma without telling anyone. You killed Maddy, and you told everyone that it was an accident, which we both know wasn't."

"That's not true," said Mal.

"Just admit it, Mal," said Past Mal. "You killed Maddy because you wanted to. She threatened the love of your life and you wanted her to feel the pain of making such as an error, not to mention you wanted revenge on her for drowning you and leaving you to die."

"No, that's not true," Mal said, both her curled fists pounding her skull in an attempt to end what she believes is a nightmare.

"You admitted to your friends that you're happy that Maddy's gone, but you haven't admitted to them the real reason you killed her," said Past Mal. "You haven't admitted it to Ben, even."

Mal's eyes glowed as she glared at her past self.

"Leave Ben out of this," Mal snarled.

"Ever wonder why you're having the same dream every night?" Past Mal changed the subject. "It's so obvious. Being evil is your destiny. You just have to accept it. But no, you just keep putting up this good girl act to convince yourself that it is who you are."

Mal grabs her past self by the jacket and pushes her towards the wall. Her heavy breathing and green glow in her eyes show that she was becoming angrier.

"There's that anger I'm famous for," said Past Mal.

"Listen to me very carefully," said Mal. "I have worked so hard to change my life for the better, and I am not gonna let something as a stupid dream ruin it."

"Then the nightmares will never stop," said Past Mal. "Your deepest, darkest desires will haunt you every night. That feeling that something is missing will anger you every day. You want this personal struggle to end, all you have to do is embrace who you truly are..."

Mal silences her past self by stabbing her in the stomach with her sword.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal opened her eyes, shocked and horrified by the last image she saw in her nightmare. She heard something pounding. At first, she thought it was her heart, pounding faster due to fear, but it turns out to be coming from the door. Mal turns her head and looks at the bedside table. The glass cage is still there and her mother was still there. She sighed with relief as she stood up to answer the door.

"Hey, Bennyboo," Mal greeted, trying to appear tired and show no sign of fear.

"Hey," Ben greeted her with a smile. "I'm sorry to wake you, but..."

"That's okay," said Mal. "I just, uh... I wasn't exactly sleeping yet."

"I just came here to talk to you," said. "I know you told me to give you some space, but I just wanted to make sure you can sleep well tonight."

"Maybe I should move over to your room," Mal joked in a flirtatious matter. "That way, you can keep an eye on me at all times."

Ben, at first, thought Mal was being serious, until the purple-haired sorceress starting chuckling.

"Just come in, you big dummy," Mal said.

Ben enters Mal's room and sits on the couch. Mal sits next to him. He puts his arm around her and pulls her in for a comforting hug. Mal holds Ben's hand and leans on his shoulder, accepting the hug.

"I talked to Evie earlier," said Ben. "Carlos really has his way with keeping you calm."

"He's just being who he is. A true friend," said Mal.

"And I appreciate him for that," said Ben. "Mal, I think you should take a break."

"What? Ben, no, I can't do that," said Mal. "We're fighting a war. I can't afford to rest. I know I'm messed up from my first kill, but I just want to stop this so we can finally live happily ever after."

"And?" Ben asked, expecting more.

"And what?" Mal tried to sound and appear confused.

"Your desperation is not just because of your desire to stop CJ. There's something else," said Ben. "I've been afraid to talk to you about this, but I thought maybe this conversation is long overdue."

"You don't have to worry," said Mal. "Evie once told me that I don't have to be alone to face whatever comes my way. I have you and everyone to help me through this. I know I'll be okay."

"I can sense doubt in your voice," said Ben.

"Maybe I am a little scared of falling," Mal admitted, while keeping the real truth hidden. "I've sacrificed a lot of blood and sweat and tears to get to where I am today. I know this sounds strange of me to admit, but I'm afraid that CJ is going to take it all away from me. Before I... killed her, Maddy told me that CJ wanted to show me that I'm not a hero, and I'm afraid that she's right."

"Fear is part of what makes us human," said Ben. "Instead of letting it bring us down, we should use it to strengthen ourselves."

"You have a lot of wisdom for someone so young," Mal complimented him.

"My parents taught me everything I know," said Ben.

"All my mother taught me is how to make people fear me," Mal said sadly.

"I have faith that you'll be able to help her," said Ben. "You were the worst of the new generation, right?"

"True," said Mal, taking it as a compliment instead of an insult.

"Then who's to say that the worst of the first generation can't be redeemed as well?" Ben said. "No matter how long it takes, I do believe that you can convince your mother to change."

Mal stared into her boyfriend's eyes with love and appreciation in her own. Her smile triggers a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry," said Mal.

"For what?" Ben asked.

"Our fight earlier today," Mal answered. "Not exactly what we want to be doing on the day we're engaged."

"It happens," said Ben. "But, yeah, I expected our first fight as an engaged couple to be about wedding plans and stuff."

Mal laughed a little in response. She thought the same thing, too.

"Thank you for coming, Ben," said Mal. "I really needed it."

"I know you did," said Ben.

Mal leans forward for a kiss, which Ben happily returned. Mal was beginning to forget about her recent nightmare, all because Ben coming to her room has reminded her of how she can combat the darkness inside her. As long as he is a part of her life, she has nothing to fear.

"I take it my work here is done," said Ben.

"Goodnight," said Mal.

"Goodnight," said Ben.

Ben kisses Mal one more time before exiting her room. As soon as Ben left, Mal walks into her bathroom and stares at herself in the mirror. Her eyes started glowing green again. She closed her eyes and breaths. When she opened her eyes, she can see that they've stopped glowing. After letting out a sigh of relief, Mal continues to stare at her reflection, thinking about what's coming next.

"I won't let you down, Ben, I promise," she said.

 **Did anyone get Liv and Maddie vibes from reading this? I hope so, because that was my intent. Imagine Dove Cameron playing Mal from D2 talking to Mal from D1. Now that would be interesting. Don't you think so?**


	12. Talk

**I'm sure some of you really want to know my series' take on Mal and CJ's history. I may show it in the form of a flashback, but that will come in a future chapter. Right now, it's time for these two to get some one-on-one time and give you some insight on their rivalry. Making these two convincing adversaries for the readers is one of my goals in this story.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Mustang52, CarvieCamfia, Guest21**

Mal wakes up and found herself lying down on the bathroom floor. Her head hurt and her knuckles appeared to stained with some kind of red liquid. She was shocked to figure out that it was her own blood. Wondering what happened, she stood up and saw the shattered mirror. The point of impact at the center of the mirror definitely appeared to be caused by a punch.

"How did this happen?" Mal wondered. "Never mind. Nobody should see this."

Mal uses her time-turning spell to reverse time on the mirror so it would appear as if it was never broken in the first place. She then starts rinsing her hand to wash away the blood. As she did, she stares at herself in the mirror again.

"Should this war end, let it not be by blood. Should it come to that path, let it not cause a flood," she muttered, her voice sounding haunted.

Mal had just taken her first life yesterday and she was both happy and horrified by it. She got her revenge on Mad Maddy for how she broke their friendship, but the good side within her was feeling to fade away slowly every hour. Her nightmare last night about speaking to her old, wicked self has not faded from her mind for one reason. "She" was right. The darkness inside her wants to come out, and her decision to go down the dark path to defeat CJ was only helping it become inevitable.

Mal was about to exit her room until someone knocked on the door. Once again, it was Ben, holding a scroll in his hand that spelled her name in black ink.

"Good morning," Ben greeted her.

"Too soon to be sure," Mal joked.

"This is for you," said Ben, giving Mal the scroll.

"It's from CJ, isn't it?" Mal guessed.

"I believe so," said Ben. "I couldn't open it, though. The ribbon is enchanted. I'm guessing it can only be opened by someone with magic."

"Me," Mal knew.

Mal uses her magic to loosen the ribbon. She opens the scroll to find a message:

 _Belle's Harbor at 9  
_ _Come alone  
_ _See you soon, Malsy._

"It's from CJ, alright," Mal confirmed. "She wants to meet."

"I'll tell the others," said Ben.

"No," said Mal. "It says, come alone."

"What if this is a trap?" Ben asked.

"That's why I'll come alone and prepared," said Mal.

Ben did not like this course of action. "Mal..."

"Ben, please, just don't," Mal pleaded. "I don't want to fight. Just let me go. You know I can handle myself."

"I know, but we both know that you're not in a healthy state of mind right now," said Ben.

Unexpectedly, Mal kisses Ben on the lips. Ben couldn't resist kissing back. Suddenly, Mal's lips were no longer touching his. He opens his eyes to see purple sparkles where Mal was just standing a second ago. Teleportation spell, Ben guessed.

* * *

Mal riders her scooter to Belle's Harbor. CJ was standing near the shore, staring at the Isle of the Lost. Just looking at the island brings back memories for Mal. While she missed scaring children and getting her way, she was content with her life in Auradon. At least, that's what she tells everyone.

"Two minutes late, Malsy," said CJ, checking the time on her pocket watch.

"Do you have a hostage nearby?" Mal asked half-jokingly.

"No, I just expected you to show up early just in case you think I'm up to no good," said CJ.

"Well, are you up to no good?" Mal asked.

"I just want to talk," said CJ.

"More like stall so your crew can ambush me," Mal guessed.

CJ laughs at Mal's assumption. "I got a hand it to you, Malsy. You're a smart girl."

"Let's just get this over with, CJ," said Mal, creating a fireball in her hand.

"Whoa, Malsy. There won't be any need for that," said CJ.

"Then you better say something to make me stop," said Mal as the fireball in her hand getting bigger by the second.

CJ decided to share with her the main topic of discussion. "Maddy."

Mal extinguishes her fireball and asks, "What about Maddy?"

"We fished her body from the ocean and found the cause of her death. A stab wound on her stomach," said CJ. "And considering the last time we saw her alive was when she snatched your spell book, I think we both know who sent her soul to Davy Jones' Locker."

Mal tried to remain stoic, but CJ noticed the subtle nervousness on her face. Mal notices that CJ notices so she drops the subtlety and turns her back on the blonde pirate.

"Is this why you called me here? To torture me with the reminder of my first kill?" Mal asked.

"No, I just want to know why you did it," said CJ.

"She transformed into a tiger and attacked me, so I had to defend myself," said Mal firmly and rapidly.

CJ raised an eyebrow, suspecting that Mal is hiding something. That nervous look on Mal's face returns when the purple-haired sorceress realizes that CJ knows that she was lying. CJ was enjoying seeing Mal like this. Nervous and on the brink of a breakdown. Oh, how far has she fallen from effrontery?

"Fine, Malsy. I'll let you keep your little secret, for now," said CJ, emphasizing the last two words, causing Mal to gulp nervously.

CJ turns her attention back to the Isle of the Lost, the place where they both grew up in. CJ begins to flash back to her nastiest tricks back on the Isle. Whether it was using the ticking of a clock to frighten her father, stealing stuff with Freddie, or pranking her siblings, CJ certainly had some memorable moments back on the Isle. It may not be enough to make her life there worth it, but at least she had something to look back to.

"We had some good times on that island, didn't we?" CJ asked.

"I'd hardly call growing up on the Isle pleasant," Mal sassed her.

"True, but I know you, Malsy. I know that a part of you misses being on the top," said CJ. "Strutting around the streets. Stepping on every low-life who gets in your way. Spreading fear. Defending your territory from those who had the guts to challenge you. I must admit, I was a little afraid of you back then."

"Everyone was afraid of me," said Mal, smirking at the _good_ memories she had on the Isle.

"We could've been partners, you and I," said CJ. "I had everything you were looking for in a partner. Wickedness. The will to do whatever. A reliable trademark. Unpredictability. Yet, you turned me into a victim of your malevolence."

"Is this why you're messing with me?" Mal asked, turning around to face CJ. "Because I refused to accept you into my gang?"

"I admit, a part of me wants payback for everything you've done to me," CJ said. "But this is less about payback and more about what you did to everyone on the Isle. You turned your back on them and left them to rot..."

"Because they're not ready," Mal interrupted. "You. Your crew. Uma. You guys are perfect examples why the rest of the Isle isn't ready for Auradon."

"You know, sometimes I wonder why you were considered the worst of the new generation of villains if something like love can make you so weak so easily," CJ retorted.

Mal was beginning to trade her nervousness with anger. Fire sparked in her hand as she fought the urge to throw a fireball at CJ. The smug look on CJ's face was a clear attempt to goad Mal into fighting her, but the future queen of Auradon opened her hands and took the moment to breathe.

"We're done here," said Mal, refusing to confess.

"We're far from done, Malsy," said CJ. "You took out one of my own crew. You better hope I don't do the same to one of your friends. The question is, who's going to be first? Lonnie. Evie. Or maybe sweet little Carlos."

Mal felt her nerves tense with anger, but instead of making CJ take back her threat, she hops on her scooter and turns the key, preparing to leave. Before she did, she had one question to ask the young captain.

"You tried to steal my spell book," Mal mentioned. "Why?"

"That's my little secret, Malsy," said CJ. "But I'd be glad to tell you if you tell me your little secret."

Mal responds by turning her scooter around and riding her way back to Castle Beast. CJ drops her smirk as she watches Mal take off. CJ reaches for her phone and turns off the voice recorder. She then transports herself back to The Lost Pearl with one of Zevon's potions.

* * *

Back on The Lost Pearl, Harry finds his sister pacing back on forth on the deck with the same face she put on when Maddy failed to steal Mal's spell book. He begrudgingly puts Gil in charge of the wheel while he talks to his troubled sister.

"How'd it go?" Harry asked.

"I was right," said CJ. "But she didn't confess, not with words, anyway."

"So, what are you gonna do now?" Harry asked.

"Same thing. I need to get that confession from Mal, but we're gonna have to try something different," said CJ. "How's the assembling of the fragments?"

"I tried the sludge and Zevon's sticky potion, but the darn thing has made itself clear that it needs the right kind of magic to be assembled," Harry answered.

"All we needed was Mal's spell book, but Maddy messed that up," said CJ.

"I know this would sound strange coming from me, but maybe we should take Gil's suggestion and look for another spell book," said Harry. "There are plenty here in Auradon. We can take any one of them."

"Malsy's spell book contains the most powerful spells ever to be cast," said CJ. "We don't just want to assemble the fragments. We need the artifact to work."

While CJ gazed at blue waters, Harry traced his hook with his finger as he thought about asking his sister a very big question. He decided to get it over with rather than wait for the right time.

"Sis, I know you prefer to keep things to yourself, but I must ask again," said Harry. "What exactly is it do you want from Mal? This is more than just a score to settle, I can tell. What is it, really?"

"Do you wanna know why I tried to framed Mal during the Neon Lights Ball?" CJ asked.

"To turn her friends against her," Harry answered.

"And hopefully wake her up, but it didn't work," said CJ. "I had to up my game, and that's what I'm doing."

"What do you mean by wake her up?" Harry asked.

"If Mal killing Maddy in cold blood proves something, it's that she's still a villain," said CJ. "I want to do more than just prove it to her. I want her to accept it. I want her to embrace being the villain once again, like she did back on the Isle."

"And if you succeed, what would happen?" Harry asked.

"Either Mal becomes one of us again, or she becomes the one to plunge Auadon into darkness," said CJ. "Either way, it's a win."

"Devious," Harry smiled. "You've really stepped up your game, sis."

"Theft and pranks were fun, but if I really want to be a true villain, I have to change my game," said CJ.

"But in case you vendetta against Mal fails, what do you have in mind, besides the artifact?" asked Harry.

"Harry, my brother, I keep secrets from you for a reason," said CJ. "You'll get your answers when the time is right. I'm trusting you to control your obsession with Uma, so you have to trust me when I say that I can't tell you all my plans just yet."

"A true captain knows where to place her trust, and I must say you've impressed me," said Harry.

CJ smiles at her brother as she traces his hook with her finger, poking the point as well. Her doubt over his loyalty was beginning to lessen, she admitted to herself. All that's left now is to see if she can trust him completely.

 **I hope Mal and CJ's talk was interesting. I also thought it wouldn't hurt to add another brother/sister moment between CJ and Harry. This may seem like filler, but it does add another plot point that might affect the story in a big way. I hope you're ready for more, because I am.**


	13. The Young Sea Witch

**Remember Uma? I'm sure you haven't. Well, I've noticed that I haven't written much about her since she agreed to help Mal. She's a big player in this story, and I'm gonna try to make sure she stays that way. Plus, it's time we see how she interacts with our favorite characters. It won't be pretty, but it will be entertaining. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: CarvieCamfia, DragonEmperor999, top story, Mustang52**

Uma was less than thrilled to help Mal, but the opportunity that the future queen offered her was too tempting to resist. After the battle at Dragon Point, Ben offered Uma a room with Freddie, who was staying in Auradon Prep to help fight the war. Uma declines and prefers to sleep in her own room. Mal playfully threatened to expose Uma's secret involving Harry and a bucket of slime, so the young sea witch reluctantly agrees to room with Freddie.

During their first night together, it was no pleasant at all. Between the glares, insults, and throwing pillows at each other, Uma and Freddie were off to a terrible start as roommates. Their second evening together was worse as a magical battle between them occurred that left their dorm soaked with water and burned from enchanted playing cards.

When the morning came, Freddie gets a rude awakening when she was splashed with water that came out of nowhere. The laughing sea witch was a clear sign of who did it.

"Real funny, Uma," said Freddie, irritated.

"It sure is," said Uma, still laughing.

Freddie heads to the bathroom to dry herself, slamming the door along the way. Uma stopped laughing when her phone beeped. She got a text message from an anonymous messenger called _H_.

His message says, _"Rain check on our meetin"_

Uma replies. _"Again? Why?"_

H's next message says, _"Issues with loyalty. Sry"_

Uma's reply says, _"You are not planning on betraying me are you?"_

H didn't reply. Uma waited for five minutes and texted the word, "Hey," a few times until she reached to the point where she typed the word with all letters capitalized. No reply still.

Uma was about to make a phone call, until Freddie comes out of the bathroom wiping her hair with a towel.

"Who're you texting?" Freddie asked. "Boyfriend?"

"Uh... yeah, sort of," Uma lied. "I met this boy at the park. He was... judgmental... at first, but then he saw past my evilness and... called me pretty."

"This guy got a name?" Freddie asked.

"H-Har-r-Harold. Harold," Uma stuttered, putting on her best fake smile.

"You have a picture of this guy?" asked Freddie, curious and suspicious.

"No, just a phone number," said Uma. "So, if we're done gossiping about boys, I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Bet that doesn't wash of the smell in your hair," Freddie replied.

"You're lucky we're on the same side, Freddie, or you'd be swimming with the fishes," said Uma threateningly.

"And _you're_ lucky we're on the same side, or I would've made a voodoo doll of you and play with it," Freddie replied.

Uma and Freddie continue to glare at each other as the sea witch walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

* * *

Uma denies the invitation of breakfast at Beast Castle and heads out on her own. She heads into the woods surrounding Auradon Prep. She leans on a tree and crosses her arms, waiting for someone. A puff of magical smoke comes out of nowhere, and so did a certain pirate holding a hook with his left hand.

"I can't believe you made me come out here," said Harry.

"You were the one who insisted on postponing our meeting. Again," said Uma, clearly sounding angry.

"Make it quick. I had to tell my sis that I was taking a leak," said Harry.

"Are you having second thoughts or not?" Uma asked.

"I'm thinkin' about it," said Harry.

" _Why_ are you thinking about it?" asked Uma, demanding a clear answer.

"Uma, CJ is my family," said Harry, feeling both happy and creeped out saying those words. "I betray her... I just know I won't like it."

"Even if it means you'll be by my side?" Uma said flirtatiously, trying to persuade Harry to change his mind. "This is an opportunity of a lifetime, Harry, and you're wasting it."

Harry traced Uma's cheek with his hook in his usual flirtatious manner. His wicked smile made Uma put on a wicked smile of her own. He runs his hook through her hair as she coiled her finger around his hook. She then removes his hook from her hair and gently smacks him across the face, causing Harry to drop his grin.

"You really know how to mess with my mind," Harry complimented her.

"In a good and bad way," Uma added.

"I'm still not sure about this, Uma," said Harry. "CJ and I, she and I have been at odds with each other, yet we look after each other because we're bound by blood. Now, I am beginning to understand the true value of family. Villain or not, as much as I want to be by your side, CJ is my sister."

"Looks like you're going soft," said Uma.

"I know it sounds like that, but family is family no matter where you come from. CJ taught me that," said Harry, a bit disgusted with himself but proud.

"Mal told me that CJ changed," said Uma. "To her, she's become a loonier loose cannon. To you, she's become a family woman."

"Well, I must admit, Auradon can sure change you, as Mal and her pals have shown," said Harry.

"Well, I don't want change for myself," said Uma. "I want change for everyone who lives on that accursed island."

"We both want that, but I still won't betray my sister," said Harry

"Not even for me?" Uma replied with a pout.

Harry was beginning to lose himself to Uma's charm. Her seashell necklace was not glowing so he knows that she is doing this all on her own. She never needed magic to charm him into doing her bidding. He would just follow her wherever she goes and do what she asks without question. He begins to see that it wasn't working as much as it used to, and he can guess that it was because his loyalty for his sister.

"I know you fancy yourself an unpredictable man, Harry, but you need to drop that sooner or later," said Uma. "This may sound like something a hero would say, but Mal and I are gonna take down CJ and I'll be captaining her crew when it happens. You have to decide who you want to pledge your loyalty to in the end."

"You're putting me in a tight spot, Uma," said Harry.

"Because I'm the captain and you're the first mate," said Uma. "It's always been like that for the two of us since the beginning. No reason for it to end now."

Harry didn't know what to say next. He is so happy to be bonding with his sister, but his heart is aching for him to choose Uma. Without saying another word, Harry uses a teleporting potion and poofs himself back to The Lost Pearl, leaving Uma to cough from the magical smoke caused by the smashing of the potion.

"Always keeping everyone guessing, huh?" Uma said, displeased.

* * *

Uma walks into Beast Castle to talk to Ben in his office. Along the way, she heard giggling in the living room. The door was slightly open, allowing her to see what was going on. Carlos and Jane were sitting on the couch, texting each other in spite of the fact that they're only inches away from one another. Uma noticed Jane's new hairstyle, which was like a combination of Mal and Evie's hairstyles.

Carlos: _"No offense to you and Dizzy, but your hair is a little too much."_

Jane: _"But mom says I look cute"_

Carlos: _"You sure are"_

Jane replies with a blushing emoji.

Carlos: _"Blush"_

Jane: _"Lol"_

Carlos: _"Lol"_

Jane: _"Blush"_

Carlos and Jane started giggling together. Uma scoffs with disgust and walks off. _If this is what love is like, I don't know if I want it_ , she thought.

Uma encounters yet another romantic couple on her way to Ben's office. Evie and Doug, who were staring at and smelling a flower that Evie was holding. They stopped when they saw Uma walking towards their direction. Evie and Uma stare at each other with caution and slight anger, while Doug starts feeling awkward being in the same room with them.

"Should I leave?" Doug asked, preparing to walk away.

"No, stay here," said Evie, grabbing Doug's arm and pulling him back.

Uma started to pick up the scent of the flower.

"Smells good," she said.

"It's plumeria," said Evie, smelling the flower again, enjoying the scent. "Belle had a bouquet of these in the guest room. We asked her if we can use one of these to make perfurme, and she approved."

"Yeah, I don't really care," said Uma.

"I'll share it with you," Evie offered.

"Is it gonna remove the smell from my hair?" Uma asked bitterly.

"Oh, I doubt it," said Evie, laughing on the inside and keeping the flower close to her nose to not smell the scent of Uma's hair.

"Then leave me out of it," said Uma.

Uma walks in between Evie and Doug, bumping both their shoulders with disrespect.

"I don't like her," said Evie darkly.

"Don't worry. I don't like her either," said Doug.

"Shall we get this flower to the science lab?" Evie asked, talking like a regal princess.

"We shall," Doug replied like a gentleman.

The two giggled as they made their way out of the castle. Uma once again rolls her eyes at the sight of true love.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Uma knocks on the door to Ben's office. He politely answered the door.

"Hey, Uma," he greeted her.

"Your highness," Uma greeted him with some disrespect.

"Uh, come in," said Ben, in spite of his visitor's bad manners.

Uma walks in and sits down on the chair in front of the King's table. Ben sits back down on his chair and takes a deep breath before speaking.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"When this war is over, I want an invitation to Auradon Prep," said Uma.

"My offer still stands today," said Ben. "But I thought you were gonna take command of CJ's crew after we defeat her. Mal promised you that."

"Yeah, well, I don't trust her," said Uma.

"Well, consider your request approved," said Ben.

"I'm not done yet," said Uma. "I want invitations for my crew, well, future crew."

"Sure," Ben replied. "I just have to discuss this with Lady Mal and Councilor Evie..."

"No, you can't. They'll just say no," said Uma. "You're the King, for Pete's sake. Can't you just approve it without consulting someone."

"I would, but I promised Evie that I would consult her and Mal involving the matters of inviting new villain kids to Auradon," said Ben.

Uma sighs with disappointment. "Coming here was a stupid decision."

Uma gets up and was about to leave the door, until Ben spoke to her.

"Wait," he said. "I'll talk to my parents instead, if that's okay with you."

"They're not even the rulers of Auradon anymore," said Uma.

"No, but they still guide me in my duties as King," said Ben. "I want to make sure I make the right decisions."

"Right, 'cause you can't trust us villain kids," Uma accused.

"I wanna bring as many of the poor children from the Isle here to Auradon, but after what happened with Zevon and my second visit on the Isle, I realized that maybe not all of them are ready for Auradon," said Ben.

"Can't say you're wrong," Uma admitted.

"I understand you want what's best for them," said Ben. "We both want the same thing, Uma."

"True, but the way we want to accomplish it is different," said Uma. "I want freedom for all of them, while you need to sign papers and stuff to do it."

"Look, Uma, I know you and Mal have a rough history," said Ben. "But she's trusting you to help her save Auradon. I approve your request behind her back, she'll be angry and disappointed at both of us."

"You're afraid," said Uma.

Ben was silent after hearing Uma say these words. His refusal to deny was a confirmation of Uma's observation.

"You should be afraid," said Uma. "You can stick a tiara on her head, but she'll always be that rotten girl from the Isle."

"I've accepted that," said Ben.

"Not completely, clearly," said Uma.

Ben sighs, not knowing how to get through her. "Look, Uma..."

"Let me stop you right there," Uma interrupted. "Talk to me again only if you give in to my demands, okay?"

Uma leaves the office. Ben sits down and shrinks back on his chair, wondering how he is going to handle both Mal's brand new behavior and Uma's request while fighting a war against CJ and her villain kid crew. He pushes a button on his phone and contacts Deborah.

"Debora, can you call Grumpy and ask him if he can postpone our meeting today?" He asked.

* * *

Uma walks back to Auradon Prep, only to see a friendly sword fight between Jay and Lonnie. She can tell that they were flirting with each other while exchanging swings. Jay was using the look he gives to all the girls back on the Isle, while Lonnie was staring into his eyes with a very big smile on her face.

"You're fast Jay," Lonnie said.

"Fast is one of many things I can be," said Jay flirtatiously.

Lonnie dodges a swing and then tags Jay on the leg.

"But you're too distracted," said Lonnie.

"Well, I got a pretty girl right in front of me, so I have a good reason," Jay admitted.

Lonnie didn't know if she should be disappointed or flattered. Jay suddenly swings at her. Lonnie responds quickly to block the swing with her sword.

"Nice to know you have razor sharp focus," said Jay.

"Mom and Dad taught me a lot of things," Lonnie replied.

While Jay and Lonnie continue to spar, Uma walks around them on her way back to her dorm. Despite being disgusted by all the romance she has witnessed, she can't help but feel jealous of her allies. Love was one of the many things she's couldn't gain from her mother. The only person who ever showed her something that is close to the L word was Harry.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Uma returns to the dorm, but didn't find Freddie. She looked around the school until she found her in the amphitheater. Freddie was holding a sword and using it against a wooden dummy painted to look like Zevon.

"Why bother with swords if you have magic?" asked Uma.

"Mal said I have to prepared for anything," said Freddie.

"You can barely keep yourself standing," said Uma. "Didn't you and CJ use to hang out? She taught you how to use a sword, right?"

"She told me I had to learn on the fly," said Freddie. "I had to improvise, but I keep losing to her."

Uma didn't want to, but she knew she had to help Freddie. Despite their hatred for each other, they were both still villain kids. True, villain kids are supposed to look out for only themselves, but in Uma's case, she looks out for those she cares about. Uma picks up a sword and steps into the circle with Freddie, tossing the wooden dummy away as well.

"I'll help you," said Uma.

"You? Help me?" Freddie laughed.

"We're on the same side, right?" Uma said.

Uma gets into her battle position. Freddie decides to along and gets into her battle position as well.

"Don't keep your feet too far from each other," said Uma.

Freddie took Uma's advise and shuffled her feet a few inches closer together.

"One thing you have to know about sword fighting. You have to anticipate your enemy's movements," said Uma.

Uma starts with slow swings, testing Freddie's reflexes and ability to anticipate her next move. After the first thirty seconds, Uma seems impressed. She started swinging faster and Freddie tries her best to block every single swing coming at her. Maybe having her as a roommate won't be so bad, they both thought.

 **I thought it would be nice for Uma and Freddie's relationship to develop into a sister-like bond. After all, their actresses (or in Freddie's case, voice actress) are sisters, after all.**


	14. Calm

**One more filler chapter before we proceed to the main plot. I've noticed that I've focused only on the most memorable relationships in the books/movies, whether it's moments between the Rotten Four (Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos) or the four them spending time with their respective lovers (Ben, Doug, Lonnie, Jane). I want to explore other relationships, except two of the Rotten Four will be stealing the spotlight in this chapter, I hope.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **I'd like to the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia**

Whenever Evie had to hang out with Doug or one of her friends, she would leave Dizzy in care of someone she can trust. Since Jane was assisting Ben with his royal duties and Lonnie was probably hanging out with Jay and Freddie isn't a suitable candidate for babysitting and Uma would obviously just refuse to aceept the responsibility, Evie recently left the granddaughter of Lady Tremaine in the care of Fairy God Mother, who was more than happy to look after the young hairdresser.

After searching for scented flowers in the gardens with Doug, Evie decided to call Dizzy and teach her how to use flowers to make perfume. She contacts her and waits for her to answer the phone.

 _"Hello?" It wasn't Dizzy's voice on the phone. It was Fairy God Mother's._

"Fairy God Mother, is that you?" Evie asked, confused.

 _"Dizzy must have left her phone behind when she left," Fairy God Mother muttered._

"You mean she's not with you right now?" asked Evie.

 _"We were just painting in the art classroom when I received a call from the Grand Duke. I'm needed in Cinderellasburg," said Fairy God Mother._

"And Dizzy?" asked Evie.

 _"I found someone else to take care of her," said Fairy God Mother._

"Who?" asked Evie.

Fairy God Mother was silent for a long period of time. If this was a video call, Evie would see that Fairy God Mother had a nervous look on her face that shows she is hesitating to give her the answer.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

When Fairy God Mother finally told Evie who she left Jane with, Evie was not pleased. She immediately demanded for Dizzy's location and marched straight there with a look on her face that made her look like she was about to do something bad to someone. She arrives at the nearest park and finds Dizzy. She was currently sitting down on a bench, eating ice cream with her cousin, Chad Charming.

Evie was about to intervene, until she saw Dizzy laugh at something Chad said. She hides behind a bush close to them and eavesdrops.

"Okay, what happened next?" Dizzy asked Chad.

"Then when Aziz opened the door, the bucket fell on him and some of the ice cubes fell into his jersey. He was jiggling up and down like gelatin trying to get the ice out of his back," Chad said.

Chad and Dizzy laughed together. Evie contained her laughter by putting her hand over her mouth. Not only was she amused but she was also surprised by how well the two were getting alone.

"I didn't think anyone here in Auradon would do such a thing," said Dizzy.

"Hey, even Auradon kids can have that kind of fun, just as long as no one gets hurt, that's all," said Chad.

"Uh, didn't you, like, flip Jay and made his face hit the dirt?" Dizzy reminded him.

"First of all, I was just teaching him to remain alert," said Chad, trying to make his past action sound not as bad as it is. "Second, who told you?"

"Jay," said Dizzy.

Chad rolls his eyes in response. "Okay, so I'm not really that close with the villain kids..."

"You mean never?" Dizzy replied. "Evie's told me a lot of stuff about you."

"Let me guess. That I'm the biggest jerk in the land?" Chad asked.

"Something like that," said Dizzy. "But I don't think you're a jerk. I think you're really nice."

"And I thought this babysitting duty would be a pain in the neck, but, I have to admit, you're a good kid," Chad admitted with an honest smile.

Chad and Dizzy "clink" their ice cream cones together like drinking glasses before they continue licking. Evie, still hiding behind the bush, peers over to see them smile at each other. Evie has heard the used-to-be-self-serving Jay talk about teamwork and seen Mal turn into a dragon, but seeing Chad be truly nice to a villain kid takes the cake. Maybe Dizzy is the key to helping Chad grow up into a better man, Evie thought.

Realizing that she has no reason to intervene, Evie leaves the park and heads back to Auradon Prep.

* * *

After a morning sparring session with Lonnie, Jay begins to walk back to his dorm, only to run into someone who appeared to be heading for the amphitheater. It was Freddie, holding a sword in her hand. As she walked, she swings her sword with style.

"You have magic. You don't need a sword," said Jay.

"That's what Uma said yesterday," said Freddie.

"Did you come here to ask me for tips?" asked Jay. "Because I'd love to help."

"No, Uma and I agreed to meet in the amphitheater for another lesson in sword fighting. She's the one teaching me," said Freddie.

"Uma? Teaching you to sword-fight?" Jay was completely surprised by this. "Didn't you two try to kill each other once?"

"Yeah, but Mal said I had to be prepared in case I ever get into a sword fight and Uma thought it was best if I had a teacher," said Freddie.

"You mean she actually wants to teach you?" Jay asked.

"Believe it or not," Freddie replied.

"And how are lessons so far?" Jay asked.

"So far so good," said Freddie with a small smile. "So far, we haven't tried to kill each other."

"Sounds like you two are finally getting along," said Jay.

"It's a slow process, not that I wanted it to be a process," said Freddie. "Honestly, I still can't believe Mal wanted us to room together."

"I think she wanted to for a couple reasons," said Jay.

"To see us try to tear each other apart," Freddie guessed sarcastically.

"And to see if you two can become like sisters," said Jay. "Sorry, but it's just that you two look so much alike. I wouldn't be surprised if Ursula was your mother."

"She's just so hard to be around with," said Freddie.

"So was Carlos when I first roomed with him," said Jay. "He was all work and study while I was practicing Tourney moves in our dorm. We basically annoyed each other."

"And yet, you two treat each other like brothers," said Freddie. "How do you do it?"

"By accepting him for who he is and vice versa," said Jay. "Carlos and I may be different, but he and I learned to adapt to each other's differences."

"You make it sound easy," said Freddie.

"It kinda was," said Jay. "But it could be easy for you, too. You just have to not let Uma get under your skin."

"Easier said than done, thief."

Uma showed up, having heard Jay's previous words.

"Don't ever expect me to play nice," said Uma.

"None of us do," said Freddie. "Shall we spar?"

"Let's do this," said Uma.

Uma and Freddie enter the amphitheater. Jay decided to stick around and see how Uma teaches Freddie.

* * *

Evie was about to walk into Ben's office, until the door opened before she could grab the door knob. Ben walked out with a pile of papers in hand. He almost dropped them when he jumped at the sight of Evie standing in the way.

"Sorry I startled you," said Evie.

"That's okay. I got it," said Ben, trying to keep himself and the pile of papers steady. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Yeah, I was looking for Mal," said Evie. "She wasn't in her room so I thought she might be with you."

"I'm sorry, but I haven't seen her all day," said Ben.

"Okay, but that's not the only thing I wanted to talk to you about," said Evie.

"Well, what is it?" asked Ben.

"Mal will kill me for telling you this," said Evie, wearing a nervous smile on her face. "She knows about your plan to propose."

Ben blinks rapidly as confusion appeared on his face.

"You didn't lose the ring at the Enchanted Lake. She's been hiding it," said Evie. "And the only reason I'm telling you now is..."

"Evie, Mal already told me," Ben cut her off.

"Oh," Evie responded, surprised. "When?"

"Two days ago," Ben answered.

"Well, what did you say?" Evie asked.

"I asked her the question," said Ben. "And she said yes."

Evie started shrieking and jumping up and down. She gives Ben a big hug, causing him to drop his papers. Ben couldn't be mad when Evie was happy about his engagement to her best friend. He was beginning to regret telling her because her hug was crushing his lungs, but he decided not to say anything because seeing Evie happy was too nice of a sight to ruin.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Evie asked.

"Mal didn't want to say anything until after we defeat CJ," said Ben. "I just told you to avoid a misunderstanding."

"So, no wedding plans yet?" asked Evie.

"We're fighting a war, Evie," said Ben.

"So? You and Mal are getting married!" Evie said excitedly. "Oh, there is so much to do. The venue. The dress. Your tux. The wedding cake..."

Ben grabs Evie's shoulder to stop her from talking. The big smile on her face remained, however.

"Evie, I'm glad your excited, but this is precisely why Mal opted to keep this is a secret," said Ben. "She doesn't want anyone getting distracted from what's important."

"Hey, we're not out there fighting all the time. Surely, we can use all our free time to plan for the best day of both your lives," Evie said, still excited.

"I think we should head to the dining room and order some peppermint tea," said Ben.

After picking up his papers, Ben starts walking Evie towards the dining room, hoping a cup of tea would calm her down. The blue-haired narcissist remains excited as she thinks about the design of Mal's dress and how tall the wedding cake should be.

"Have you decided who your best man will be?" Evie asked.

"It's a touch choice," said Ben.

"Can Dizzy be the flower girl?" asked Evie.

"Of course," Ben answered.

"Where do you want the wedding to take place? In the cathedral or outdoors?" Evie asked.

"Evie, I know you're excited, but the purpose of going to the kitchen to have some tea is to relax," said Ben. "Until we get there, at least try to breathe."

"Okay, I'll try," said Evie, taking a few deep breaths. "I'm just so happy for the both of you. Mal, daughter of Maleficent, soon to be wed to the King of Auradon. Queen Mal of Auradon, oh, I'm just so excited."

"Me, too," said Ben.

"You're exactly who she needs, Ben," said Evie. "As much as I hate to admit, you make her happier than anyone else in her life ever could. That's one of the many reasons I gave you my blessing."

"And once again, I have to thank you for that," Ben said. "This is a big step forward for the two of us, and I don't want to ruin it."

"You won't ruin it, Ben," said Evie. "It's CJ who might, but we're not gonna let her destroy the love you and Mal share. I swear, on both your lives, I will make sure that the wedding of the century goes on and it will be a day worth remembering forever."

"I'm sure Mal will appreciate that," said Ben. "She probably thinks she won't, but we both that in the end, she'll love for it."

"That's Mal for you," Evie replied. "She keeps threatening to remove my title as councilor and assistant to the Lady of the Court, and I know I can be a bit of an airhead, but I know she'll never let me go."

"She's fortunate to have such a great friend like you in her life," said Ben, admiring Evie's devotion.

"She's not just my friend. She's my sister," Evie said with a smile.

* * *

Carlos, meanwhile, was in his dorm, tweaking his bioelectric spheres. On his laptop were calculations and diagrams that represent new ideas for new weapons, like spheres that release flares and a toy launcher repurposed to shoot balls made of chemical elements. Dude watched him work and was a little concerned by how hard he was pushing himself.

"How long do you expect to make someone sleep with those things?" Dude asked.

"About half an hour or so," said Carlos. "Maddy woke up after, like, ten minutes. If I had done this right... maybe Mal wouldn't have..."

Carlos stopped and hanged his head, thinking about his troubled, purple-haired friend. He has seen how taking Maddy's life has affected her and he can't help but feel responsible for it. It was because Maddy had woken up too soon that CJ planned to stall Mal with monologuing. He works effortlessly to perfect his inventions so no one else has to die, friend or foe.

The door opens and Carlos was sort of surprised to see Mal. She appeared calm, but was obviously perturbed. She slowly closed the door behind her and faces the white-haired tech prodigy with a small smile on her face.

"Hey, Snowball," Mal greeted him.

"Hey," Carlos greeted.

"No nickname for me?" Mal pretended to pout.

"Well, what do you want?" Carlos asked.

"I want you to come up with one on your own," said Mal.

"So, any reason you decided to pop by?" asked Carlos. "Not that I mind. I'm always happy to see you. It's just that you look, well..."

"Ben told you about CJ's message, didn't he?" Mal guessed. She suspected that Carlos was worried because she knew he expected her to feel angry or scared or both after talking to CJ.

Carlos bites his lip before responding. "Yeah, he did."

"Yet, you guys didn't show yesterday," said Mal.

"He told us to leave it alone. Considering how you were feeling last night, we had to," said Carlos. "Although, it was tough trying to convince Evie."

"I know she's just worried about me," said Mal. "I know you all are, and while I appreciate it, it's getting on my nerves."

"So, how'd it go?" asked Carlos.

"I don't want to talk about it," said Mal. "I'd rather talk about you."

"Me?" asked Carlos, surprised.

"It's why I'm here," said Mal.

"What about me?" asked Carlos.

Mal sits down on the bed, next to Carlos. She looked down for a moment before looking up at him. Carlos was nervous and confused as to why Mal was looking at him strangely. As much as he wanted to scoot away, he knew he had to listen to her closely. It's what friends do, after all.

"When Rose... I was angry that I couldn't save her," Mal started. "When Evie found out about my spell book, I was angry that she and all of you refused to understand my reasons. When I killed Maddy, I was horrified and angry at myself for being glad I did."

"Is there a point to this?" asked Carlos, feeling even more confused and a little bit scared.

"Everyone tries to be there for me, but I push them away," Mal continued. "Except you."

Carlos' lips twitched before he gulped, feeling even more nervous about what is happening right now. He is aware that he has been the only one to calm Mal down whenever she gets furious or upset, but he has no idea why she is making it sound like a big deal. Mal scoots closer and places her hand on top of his, looking at him in his eyes with a look he couldn't understand.

"Every time I look at you, I see someone who used to be a cowardly, pathetic nerd," said Mal.

"Thank you," Carlos said sarcastically, looking away.

Mal turns Carlos' head so he can look at her again.

"Every time I look at you, I see a little boy who has grown into a brave, kind man who is no longer afraid to be there for the people he cares about," said Mal. "Out of all the people who was brave enough to come close to me whenever my inner dragon is about to come out, it's you. Every day since we chose to live here in Auradon, you amaze me."

"It's no big deal, really," said Carlos. "I just did what Evie did back on the Isle whenever I was feeling down. She would hold my hand and look me in the eye until I cheer up."

"Evie tried that on me. It didn't work," said Mal. "But with you, it's different. There's something more to what you do besides just copying Evie's methods of cheering up someone. I can feel it. I just don't know what it is exactly."

"Why is this so important to you?" asked Carlos.

"Because I'm so confused," said Mal. "Something's changed between us lately, and I want to know what and why."

"Sounds to me like you've got it bad," Dude guessed.

"Shut up, dog," Mal said, changing her tone from sweet to sour.

Dude whined with fright as he stepped back and away from the purple-haired sorceress.

"Just don't say a word until we're done," Carlos said to his canine companion.

"Okey-dokey," Dude obeyed.

Mal sighs, annoyed by the dog's constant prattling. Carlos gave her an empathetic look, understanding her pain when Dude says something that shouldn't be said.

"To be honest, Mal, I, too, have noticed something different about us," said Carlos. "I just didn't want to know because all I care about is that you don't lose sight of who you really are. Evie. Jay. Ben. All of us just want to be there for you to keep you from falling deeper into the muck."

"And you think that's your job?" Mal questioned him.

"We love you, Mal," said Carlos.

Mal's mouth opened and stayed opened without any word coming out of it. Carlos looks left and right in an awkward fashion, not knowing what to say or do next. He was hopelessly confused.

"Do it again," said Mal.

"Do what again?" Carlos asked.

"What you do every time I'm upset," Mal answered.

"Why? You're not upset right now," said Carlos.

"Just do it, please. For me," Mal pleaded.

Carlos chose not to speak any further and did as she asked. He grabs hold of both her hands and leaned closer, staring into her eyes. Mal was beginning to breathe unusually as she stared into the puppy lover's brown eyes. Mal closes her eyes as she leaned closer, her forehead pressing against his. Carlos didn't know why but he felt the need to close his own eyes as well. The two hold on to each other's hands tightly as they listened to each other's calm breathing.

"Is it hot in here or is it just the two of you?" Dude blurted out.

Mal looked like she wanted to murder the dog, but Carlos turns her face away from Dude and back at him. He didn't say word. He just smiled at her, which made her smile back.

Their moment is once again interrupted, this time, by the sound of the door opening. The two turn their heads to see Jay looking at them with eyes wide open.

"Am I interrupting something?" Jay asked.

"No," Mal and Carlos said simultaneously.

"You guys are holding hands," Jay pointed out. "Wait, is Mal upset again?"

"Uh, yeah, I am, or was," said Mal. "I came here to see Carlos because, you know, he knows how to help me."

Dude suddenly opened his mouth. "If you ask me, I think they were..."

Carlos grabs Dude's snout, closing his mouth before he could say anything that would only annoy him and infuriate Mal.

"Jay, just get out of here," said Carlos.

"Okay. You don't have to be rude, even though I appreciate it," said Jay.

After Jay walks out the door, Carlos removes his hand from his dog's snout.

"Dude, I love you, but you have got keep that truth gummy effect under control," said Carlos.

"Sorry, man. No can do," said Dude truthfully.

Instead of inflicting harm on the dog, Mal rubs Dude behind the ears with a smile on her face. It would seem that her moment with Carlos has made her calmer than she was when she entered the room. Carlos still doesn't understand why Mal's behavior has changed lately, but if he can help keep her in the light, he should be happy she knows when to come to him.

 **What do you think? I hope you love it, because this was one of the hardest chapters to write so far in this story.**

 **If you want action and plot progression, don't worry. You'll get it in the next chapter. I promise.**


	15. Is This The End?

**As a FanFiction writer, you have to make sure your story follows your summary or else it will be confusing. So far in this story, you have learned about CJ's "second goal" and seen Mal steal, lie, and keep secrets because she believes evil is the only way to win. What about the big question at the end of the summary? Well, you're about to find out.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Bal-Breelice04081998, top story, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, CarvieCamfia**

 ** _To Bal-Breelice04081998 and top story: _I have to admit, the theory you both shared about Carlos is pretty interesting.**

Since the grounds of Auradon Prep are abandoned during the summer, the school was about as tranquil as the palace in Agrabah whenever Genie was on a vacation. Evie was wandering through the empty halls, checking herself with her Magic Mirror. She has repeatedly asked it to show her where CJ and her crew are, but all the mirror gives her is static. So, until she can find out what's wrong with it, she uses it to make sure her make-up was intact. Reformed villain kid or not, she will always care about her looks.

"Fairest as Fairest as always," she said, smiling at herself.

Suddenly, Evie caught the sound of yelling and swords clashing against each other. She runs outside to see Mal and Uma engaged in a sword fight.

Mal blocks Uma's spin strike before kicking her on the hip, causing her to drop on one knee. Mal then holds the blade against Uma's neck. Evie did not like how this looked, so she ran towards them before the situation would escalate any further.

"Mal! What are you doing?" Evie asked as she pushed Mal away from the daughter of Ursula.

"Relax, E. We're just sparring," said Mal.

"What?" Evie was surprised and confused at the same time.

"Hey, she started it," said Uma, gesturing to Mal. "I just wanted to talk and she just pulled out her sword."

"Is that true, Mal?" asked Evie.

"Oh, it's very true," Mal answered.

"Thanks to you, I can barely stand," said Uma, clutching her bruised hip.

"You're welcome," Mal said snidely.

"You don't get to win every time, you know that?" Uma said, agitated.

"If I'm keeping score, it's 34-0 in favor of me," said Mal.

"You guys fought 34 times?" Evie asked.

"We used to spar when we were kids. I wanted to be a pirate, and she loved pointy objects," said Uma. "We were once friends, in case you're wondering, or did Mal not tell you that?"

"Oh, she _did_ tell me," said Evie. "And I think you two should be friends again. There's no need for you two to fight after we stop CJ. I know you two have a lot of reasons to hate each other, but you also have several reasons

"Evie, I refuse to reconcile with Uma for one simple reason," said Mal. "I don't want to."

"Glad we have something in common," said Uma, feeling the same way Mal does.

"Uh, yes. Yes, that's good," said Evie, believing the double refusals will cancel out each other and lead to a positive result, like in Mathematics. "You two don't want to be friends again, but maybe if you let your hatred for each other clash... without the use of swords... maybe you can channel that hatred into something else..."

"Like awaken the feeling of the nostalgia for our old friendship?" Mal guessed.

"Exactly," said Evie.

"Maybe I'll awaken that feeling right now," said Mal.

To Evie's shock, Mal throws her sword towards Uma. It zips through her hair, cuts off one of her braids, and digs its point into the bark of a tree behind the sea witch. Mal started laughing, and not the kind of laughter when you witnessed something funny. She was cackling just like her mother, which unsettles Evie and sort of makes Uma smirk.

"Mal, what is the matter with you?" Evie asked.

"I kinda like it," said Uma.

"You would," Evie dissed her. "Mal, please. I can't just let you keep on..."

Mal interrupts her friend. "How about you worry less about me and worry more about looking for CJ?"

"I've tried," said Evie, holding up her Magic Mirror.

"Well, try again," said Mal.

Evie sighs as she faces her mirror again. "Mirror, mirror, please hear me. Where would CJ Hook be?"

This time, the mirror works. It shows CJ, who currently polishing her sword. After she was finished, she pokes the point.

"Magic mirror, zoom out, please," Evie ordered.

The mirror zooms out the shot, allowing the three girls to see where CJ is. She was in Mal and Evie's dorm. Young Dizzy Tremaine was tied up and sitting on the floor.

"Oh, no," Evie said, worried about Dizzy.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

In Mal and Evie's dorm, CJ looks at the mirror as she holds up a sleek-looking scarlet red jacket in front of her, picturing how she would look like in it.

"I got to give it to Evie. This is one looks good on me," said CJ. "It just needs a little pirate touch, though."

"How'd you even get in here?" Dizzy asked.

"That's not important right now, little one," said CJ.

"Mal will stop you," said Dizzy confidently.

CJ started laughing. "Oh, she can very well try."

Suddenly, the door was kicked open, courtesy of Mal, who was accompanied by Evie and Uma.

"The door was unlocked," CJ pointed out.

Mal draws her sword, preparing for a fight. "Let Dizzy go, CJ!"

"Oh, I will, right after you and I have another chat," said CJ, holding her sword against the young girl's neck.

Uma touches her seashell necklace, preparing to use her magic, only for Evie to stop her, telling her that Dizzy could be hurt if they make a move on CJ. Uma reluctantly lets go of her necklace. CJ takes out a bottle full of potion and tosses it to Mal.

"Skull Rock," CJ said, telling her where the potion will take her. "It's time for Auradon to see who you really are, Malsy."

CJ reaches for another potion and magically teleports herself and Dizzy to Skull Rock.

"I'll tell the others," said Evie.

"No," said Mal. "CJ wants me, not you. I have to go alone."

"Mal, I'm pretty sure this isn't about having a civil conversation like last time. She took Dizzy. This is so much worse, I can tell," said Evie.

"Which is exactly why I have to go by myself," said Mal. "I don't want to lose any of you." She faces Uma and says, "Don't think I'm getting soft on you. I just want to be the one who puts you down for good."

"Mal, don't you remember what I told you?" Evie asked.

"That I don't have to be alone," Mal remembered. "I'm sorry, Evie, but this is a fight I have to face alone."

Mal holds the potion up high, preparing to throw it down to the floor. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm, only it wasn't Evie's. It was Uma's. Mal accidentally drops the potion. Once it fell on the floor and smashed, Mal and Uma disappeared, leaving Evie alone. All she can do now is warn the others.

* * *

Once the smoke cleared, Mal and Uma find themselves on the top of Skull Rock, surrounded by CJ's villain kid crew. Dizzy was still tied up and being threatened by Harry's hook. CJ was standing close to the edge, enjoying the view. Mal swats Uma's hand off her and walks towards CJ. Resisting the urge to push her off, she simply stands next to her and watches the view with her.

"You know what the best thing about being free is?" CJ started. "You get to explore. Discover new things. See new sights. Breathe some fresh air."

"I know how you feel," said Mal. "Just tell me what you want and let Dizzy go."

CJ signals Ginny, who takes out her phone. She turns on her camera and records a live feed, via GraceBook.

"Greetings, Auradon," CJ said to the camera. "It's me, CJ Hook, daughter of the once great Captain Hook. You remember me, right? The Neon Lights Ball. The hostage fiasco at the Royal Yacht. Well, I'm coming to you live from the top of Skull Rock, one of the most infamous landmarks in Auradon, and I'm joined by a face you are all familiar with. Lady Mal, or as I call her, Malsy."

"And me," said Uma, stepping in front of the camera so he wouldn't be ignored.

"Harry!" CJ called, snapping her fingers.

Harry snatches Uma away from the camera and holds her tight, trying to keep her from escaping his grasp. Uma looks at Harry and sees the same face he always puts on when he looks into her eyes.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Uma asked, playfully pinching his cheek and wearing a flirtatious smile on her face.

"I'm never letting go of you, luv," said Harry, running his hook down her face in an affectionate way and grinning at her.

"Gross," Dizzy reacted, looking away from the sea witch and the pirate.

"Ahem!" CJ said.

Ginny turns the camera away from Harry and Uma and back at CJ.

"Now, you all may have noticed that someone is absent here today. Mad Maddy, granddaughter of Madam Mim," said CJ. "Well, unfortunately for me and my comrades, her soul now rests in the Underworld. Who, may you ask, could have sentenced her to death? Well, that's why Malsy is here with us?"

Ginny zooms in on Mal, who continues to stare at the ocean below.

"C'mon, Malsy. Tell the good people of Auradon what you've done," said CJ.

"What I will them is not to listen to anything you have to say," Mal sassed.

"All I want is the truth, Mal," said CJ.

Mal immediately realizes what this encounter is truly about. "Smart, CJ. Trying to discredit me, that's really wicked of you. Now I know why you wanted to talk a few days ago. You were trying to dupe me into saying what you want me to say."

"What I want you to say is what Auradon needs to hear you say," said CJ. "You have sixty seconds, Malsy. If you waste all that, Dizzy here drowns. We all know you can't let another innocent girl die because of your choices."

"What happened to Rose, that's on you, not me," Mal growled.

"Maybe, but you had a choice. You could've used your magic, but no, you had to be the good girl and chose to obey King Benny," said CJ. "Now, you have another choice. You can either look at the camera and confess, or let Dizzy here become another casualty in our little war."

"I killed Maddy," Mal confessed.

Dizzy was shocked to hear this. Her friends had refused to tell her what happened to Mal at Dragon Point because they believe she was too young to know, but now, she feels as if what Mal said was the reason she was left in the dark.

CJ holds her sword close to Dizzy as she looked at Mal with a sinister smirk on her face.

"Mal, is this true?" Dizzy asked.

"Yes," Mal answered reluctantly.

Dizzy gasped with shock again. Mal couldn't even look at the young girl after what she just confessed.

"Why did you?" CJ asked the purple-haired sorceress.

"It's war, CJ," said Mal, trying to appear honest in front of the camera. "There are bound to be casualties."

"True, but you're evading the truth," said CJ, moving her sword closer to Dizzy.

"CJ, I'm begging you. Let her go," Mal pleaded.

"Not until you tell everyone the truth, Malsy," said CJ.

Mal was beginning to feel more anxious with each passing second. Regardless of what chooses, she will lose something. If she chooses to keep her secret, she will lose Dizzy. If she chooses to confess the truth about Maddy's death to save Dizzy, she will lose the trust of her friends, whom were already worried about her so-called change of behavior as of late.

"Ten seconds, Mal," said Harry, holding up his pocket watch.

"Actually, Harry. Her time is up," said CJ, correcting her brother. "Say bye-bye, Dizzy."

"No!" Mal shouted.

Mal draws her sword and swings at CJ's sword, causing the blonde pirate to stagger backwards from the force of the strike. Uma steals Harry's sword and breaks free from his grip. She stands in between him and Dizzy, protecting the latter, despite her reluctance.

"So, this is how you want to do it?" CJ asked.

"You're not getting what you want," said Mal.

Once again, Mal and CJ trade swings. Their blades clashed as they tried to strike down the other. Mal ducks from a high swing from CJ before swinging faster. CJ reacts quickly to every swing, ducking under one as well. Mal then strikes harder, causing CJ to stagger backwards even more, before punching her in the neck, knocking her down.

"You're holding back, Mal," said Uma.

"Believe me, if anyone's holding back, it's her," said Mal, referring to her opponent. "Get up!"

"Zevon!" CJ called.

Zevon tosses one bottle of potion to CJ. CJ throws it at Mal, but she dodges it, leaving it to fall off Skull Rock and into the water. Mal and CJ continue to trade swings, until Mal grabbed CJ's hand, which held her sword. Mal strikes the sword off her hand, elbows CJ in the stomach, and then knocks her down again with a punch across the face.

"You want me to be who you want me to be, so be it," Mal said.

CJ grabs her sword just in time to block Mal's next swing. The two are caught in a lock, trying to push each other away. Mal was beginning to win, until she felt something sharp pierce her stomach. She looks down and saw CJ's other hand stabbing her with a hook. Mal drops her sword and stands back as she puts her hand over her bleeding wound.

"You remember this? It's my very own hook. I'm not too eager to get my hand cut off, unlike my brother here, but I always thought of it more as a second sword," said CJ. "Looks like it came in handy after all."

Mal collapses as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"Just confess your secret, Malsy, and all this ends," said CJ.

Mal uses all of her strength to stand up. She started wandering backwards until she was close to the edge. She looks down at the treacherous waters surrounding Skull Rock.

"Mal, I know what you're thinking," said Uma. "No, don't do it."

"I'm sorry," said Mal, penitence in her eyes and voice. "No one can ever know."

Mal takes another step back and falls off Skull Rock, heading straight for the waters below.

"Mal!" Dizzy cried.

* * *

Mal keeps on falling until she hits the ocean. She continued to sink deeper and deeper as the blood from her wound leaked into the waters. She didn't even bother to swim to the surface, nor could she if she tried. The more blood she lost, the weaker she felt. As she waited for her eyes to close for good, a lot of things ran in her mind. She looks at the engagement ring on her finger, reminding herself of what it meant. Had she just taken herself away from Ben? Yes, she answered mentally.

Instead of fighting, Mal chose to drown to keep her secret safe. Selfish as that choice was, she had to make one no matter the consequences. Uma. Dizzy. They were both still up there. Now that she has no strength left to save herself, how can she be sure that they're safe? _What have I done_ , she asked herself again. To make matters worse, all of Auradon saw what she did. Not only has she deprived Ben of a fiance, she has deprived Auradon of someone they believed to be a hero.

Is this how her story ends?

 _"And that is the story of how I died. Heh, I'm just kidding. I can't exactly tell you what will happen next, but what I will tell you is to remember what I said before. The part about being buried deep in the dark, it's happening right now. If you're asking how will I ever climb back up to light after what just happened, well, my only answer is an old saying. Life works in mysterious ways. You never know what will happen next. What I can tell you, though, is that the dark days are coming. Not even the light can prevent what's coming. I suppose this brings up another question. How long with the dark days last?"_

 **Do you remember the very beginning of this story, right? That's what all this has been building up to, but the story is still far from over. If you've read and remembered Mal's words from the first chapter, then you probably have an idea about what's coming next. Prepare to dive deeper into darker waters. Intensity and added seriousness is what I promise next.**


	16. Blood or Desire?

**I'm sure the question you all have in your minds after reading the previous chapter is, "What will happen to Mal?" The answer to that question will have to wait. Right now, the aftermath of Mal's unbelievable choice has to be explored. If you're a Huma (HarryxUma) fan, you may want to read this. Oh, and yes, I support Huma.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, Bal-Breelice04081998, top story, Guest43, CarvieCamfia, Quartz Rider, DragonEmperor999**

After Mal and Uma disappeared, Evie immediately ran to Beast Castle to warn the others. When she finally got here, she found all of her friends gathered in the living room, watching something on Carlos' laptop. His GraceBook account was open and a live video was being broadcast. She could see Mal and CJ sword-fighting, as well as Uma being _held_ by Harry, standing next to Dizzy, who is tied up in ropes. Every person in the room held their breath as they watched the fight. They gasped with fright when CJ stabbed Mal with her hook. What's even more frightening was Mal choosing to fall off Skull Rock instead of confessing her secret to save Dizzy.

Ginny shuts off the camera, preventing everyone from seeing what's become of Uma, Dizzy, and, most importantly, Mal.

Everyone was silent until the girls started sniffing, afraid that the worst has happened to their friends... and Uma. Evie appeared to be on the brink of crying when Jay decided to approach her, not wanting to see one of his best friends break down into tears.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm sure they're alright," said Jay, trying to sound as positive as he can. "We gotta believe they made it. Isn't that how good things happen to us? By believing?"

"Jay, you saw what just happened," Evie said with a panicked tone. "Mal... I mean, she..."

"We don't know that Mal is..." Jay paused, thinking that saying the next word will make Evie feel worse.

"Gone?" Evie finished his sentence for him. "I think the word you're looking for is _gone_."

"Mal's fought her mother as a dragon and Uma as a giant, eight-legged monster. This is nothing compared to all that," said Jay.

"I wanna believe you Jay, but you heard what Mal said. _No one can ever know_ ," Evie reminded him.

"Know about what?" Ben asked, curious and suspicious.

"We don't know," said Evie. "But what we do know is that when Mal has a secret, she does whatever she can to keep it."

"Including drowning herself?" Carlos questioned her. "You think she's that selfish to just abandon Uma and Dizzy like that...?"

Suddenly, a puff of smoke appears out of nowhere. The teenagers were all alarmed until the smoke cleared, revealing Dizzy, who appeared scared and confused. Dizzy immediately approaches the 10-year-old.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Evie asked, concerned and worried.

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Dizzy, trying hard to smile.

"What happened?" asked Evie.

"Uma stole one of Zevon's potions and threw it at me, so here I am," Dizzy answered.

"Then we owe her our gratitude," said Ben. "When she comes back, that is."

"I don't think she is," said Dizzy. "Before she threw the potion at me, she told me tell Ben that he owes her one."

Evie didn't seem to respond well to what Dizzy said. Her fingers curled into fists, her nerves started shaking, and she was breathing heavily.

"That... that..." Evie tried to keep herself from insulting Uma with the _angry_ words Mal uses.

"Easy," Jay said, putting a hand on Evie's shoulder, trying to keep her calm.

"Easy?" Evie almost shouted. "What if all this just fell into Uma's hands? Once Mal was out of the picture, she took the opportunity. What if she's conspiring with CJ or trying to usurp her position as captain as we speak?"

"Carlos, buddy, you wanna help me?" asked Jay, clueless as to how to handle Evie's current behavior.

"Just give her a hug. It's as simple as that," said Carlos.

Jay did as Carlos said and gave Evie a hug. Evie wanted to push Jay away, but instead she hugs him back as she surrenders to her sadness. The thought of Mal being lost to them forever was too hard to shake off her mind, especially what she saw on the live video. Jay pats Evie in the back for added comfort. He looks at Carlos and nods, thanking him for the friendly advice.

"Look, I'm scared that it may be true, but we have to believe that Mal is still out there," said Jay.

"I'll send a few soldiers and sailors to check Skull Rock, just in case," said Ben.

"What about Uma?" Jane asked. "If she hasn't poofed herself back here, then surely something fishy is going on."

"Pun intended?" Carlos asked.

"Pun intended," Jane confirmed.

Carlos giggled before kissing Jane on the cheek, causing her to blush. However, not even the sight of true love could bring a smile on Evie's face.

"I don't know about you, but I hope she's having a horrible time right now," said Evie bitterly.

* * *

Uma's battle with CJ's crew on Skull Rock ended with her being blindfolded. When the blindfold was removed, she found herself on board a pirate ship. She was a bit surprised that she wasn't tied up to a chair or anything. She was just standing in the middle of the deck, facing the captain herself and surrounded by the captain's crew, minus Gil, who, for some reason, wasn't on the ship.

Uma quickly touches her seashell necklace and holds out her hand, trying to cast a magic spell on CJ. CJ smirked and crossed her arms as the aqua-colored sparkles lighting up on Uma's hand slowly die. When the sparks finally died, Uma looks at her hand with confusion.

"What did you do to me?" Uma asked.

"I didn't do anything," said CJ. "Your magic won't work on me."

"What are you talking about?" asked Uma.

"Let's just say I found a way around it," said CJ.

"But didn't Mal use her magic on you a few days ago?" asked Uma.

"Yeah, she did," CJ answered, dropping her smirk. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"So, this is your ship?" Uma asked, laying her eyes around the fine vessel.

"Welcome to The Lost Pearl, Uma," said Harry, walking towards the sea witch. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment."

Uma grabs Harry's wrist before his hook touched her face.

"Before we get touchy, I want to know why I'm here," said Uma.

"I made my brother a promise," said CJ. "That I would offer you a place on our crew."

"And you think I would accept it?" Uma questioned.

"Why? Gotten used to those goody-goody Auradon kids? Are they your friends now?" asked Ginny.

"Oh, believe me. I wouldn't get all chummy with them if we were all trapped in a cave forever," said Uma, sounding like the angry girl the crew knew from the Isle.

"Then why are you still helping them vansquish us?" asked Zevon.

"It's _vanquish_ , you idiot," said Ginny, knocking on Zevon's skull.

"Why did you even invite these two?" Uma asked CJ, gesturing to the bickering villain kids. "Okay, Ginny I get 'cause she's mean and dirty, but Zevon... meh."

"Why must everyone disrespect my evilness?" Zevon complained.

"Enough, all of you!" CJ shouted, exasperated.

Uma turns to Harry and puts his hook on her cheek with a loving look on her face. Harry was mesmerized by the way she was looking at him and could not resist staring into her eyes.

"Harry, hunny, would you do your captain, your true captain a favor and get her off of this ship?" Uma requested flirtatiously.

"Oh, you know I would do anything for you, luv," said Harry, still staring at the young sea witch.

"So, why are we still here?" asked Uma, still speaking with a sweet tone.

Harry continues to run his hook down Uma's face as he reaches for his vanishing potion.

"Harry!" CJ shouted.

Harry stopped and looked away from Uma to face his sister, who didn't appear happy about what is currently happening.

"Trying to charm my own brother into betraying me, huh, Uma? That's pretty low," said CJ.

"Regardless of my influence, it's his choice," said Uma. "Isn't that right, my beloved?"

"Yes, it is, luv," said Harry, looking at Uma lovingly.

"Harry!" CJ yelled again. "I am your captain. I am your sister. You will do as I say. Don't succumb to her charms. Besides, I made you a promise. I would offer her a place on this ship. I am still willing to keep that promise for you."

Harry looks back and forth between his sister and the girl he admires. This was the moment CJ feared, when Harry would have to choose between blood and desire. Harry stops at his sister and speaks his answer.

"You're right," he admitted. Facing Uma again, he says, "Uma, we don't have to run away, as much as I want to. You can stay here, be part of our villainous crew. With you by our side, we will unleash a tide so devastating that all of Bore-adon will be begging us to keep them from drowning."

"If it makes you feel better, you can be my new first mate," CJ offered. "I'm sure Harry won't mind. Like you said, you're his captain."

"Ha, as if," Uma replied with disdain. Walking towards CJ for some up-close eye contact, she says, "The only reason I'm not accepting your offer is because it's you who is command of this ship. I have been taking orders my whole life, and I'm sick of it. I will never take orders from you, no matter what."

"So, that's why you're helping Mal. She promised to take the captain's hat off my head and put it on yours," CJ realized.

"Unless it's been confirmed that Mal is resting in peace, I will stand by the King of Auradon until this ship is mine," said Uma.

"Honorable, aren't you?" CJ sounded like she was giving a compliment.

"Just send me back," Uma demanded.

"Uma," Harry called. "Don't do this. I don't want to fight you."

"You made your choice, Harry," said Uma. "You would rather stand by the person who has barely been present in your life over the one who has taken care of you since your were a kid."

CJ grabs Uma's hand and puts a vanishing potion on it while glaring daggers at her.

"Get off my ship," CJ said darkly.

Uma throws the potion to the floor and vanishes, teleporting herself back to Auradon.

Harry touches the magical smoke as if he was trying to reach for Uma and pull her back to him. He snaps out of it when he sees his sister looking down with a depressed look on her face. As her brother, he feels as if he needs to know what is bothering her in order to cheer her up.

"What's the matter, sis?" Harry asked.

"Nothing," CJ lied.

"You're lying, CJ," Harry said.

"Only because it's not important," said CJ.

Before Harry can question his sister any further, a familiar voice shouted the captain's name.

"CJ! CJ! CJ!"

CJ and Harry walk towards the edge and look down to see Gil, riding on a rowboat, knocking on the side of the ship to capture their attention.

"I found something!" Gil shouted.

After helping Gil back on the ship, the son of Gaston reveals to his captain what he found. It was Mal's spell book.

"I found it floating on the water," said Gil. "You need it, right?"

"Yes, we do, indeed," said CJ, taking the spell book from Gil.

"So, do I get a reward?" Gil asked flirtatiously.

Harry snatches the back of Gil's shirt with his hook and pulls him away from his sister. He then uses his hook to smack Gil on the top of his head before pushing him towards where the ship's mop is.

"Harry," CJ called. "Get the fragments. Now that we have Mal's spell book, we can finally assemble them."

Harry was still concerned about CJ's mood earlier. She may be excited now that Gil found Mal's spell book, but he remembered her looking sad following Uma's departure. All he can pick up was that Uma referred to his sister as the person who has barely been in his life. Is that what she's upset about?

 **What do you think CJ was upset about? If you want, you can leave an answer on your review. I would appreciate it very much.**

 **I noticed that this chapter is mostly about CJ trying to keep her promise to Harry, so for the next chapter, we're gonna further explore the emotional state of Evie, Jay, Carlos, and the rest regarding Mal's choice. I feel like I didn't delve deep on their reactions to the events of the previous chapter.**


	17. Waking Up

**Get some tissues. This chapter will be filled with emotional hurt/comfort moments. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheGreatGodzilla, Bal-Breelice04081998, Guest21, Guest, Quartz Rider**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla:_ For now, but she's only doing it for her own benefit.**

 ** _To Guest21:_ LOL**

Three days have past since Mal's battle against CJ at Skull Rock. Three days since she vanished after purposely falling into the ocean. Three days since royal guards and sailors from different kingdoms have searched the ocean for signs of Auradon's future queen. So far, none have found her. Those closest to Mal feared that the worst has happened to her, but they kept their hopes up with the belief that she is still out there.

One person, however, seems to have given up on hoping. One would probably think it was Chad or Uma, since they barely or don't care about Mal at all, but to everyone's surprise, it was Evie. After a second straight day of receiving reports about empty searches, Evie told her friends during a meeting that they should focus less on Mal and more on stopping CJ, which all of them.

While everyone decided to give her space, Doug refused to let his girlfriend quit on hope. After walking through the front door of Auradon Prep, he finds Evie arguing with Uma.

"All I asked for was company on my search," Uma said loudly. "You don't have to be such a big baby if you don't want to."

"After three days, you think you'll have better luck?" Evie questioned her. "Why do you even care?"

"I care because I'm tired of waiting," said Uma. "If she's still alive, then I'm still stuck here with you."

"Well, it's pointless," said Evie. "So you can leave if you want."

"I may be a villain kid, but even I know how to honor a deal," said Uma.

"Pfft! As if you know the first thing about honor," Evie scoffed.

"You're beginning to sound a lot of like Mal," said Uma, chuckling.

Evie swings her fist towards Uma, only to stop halfway. Uma flinched when she thought Evie was about to punch her, only to be both relived and disappointed that she didn't. Evie can feel herself about to break down in tears, so she walks away from Uma, not wanting to hear her insults if she ever cries in front of her. She ignores Doug and shoulders him aside so she can exit the school.

Doug turns to Uma and asks, "What is wrong with you?"

"I may be on your side, but that doesn't mean I have to play nice," said Uma.

Deciding that reasoning with Uma is unimportant at this moment, Doug chooses to focus on what's important and that was talking to Evie. He exits the door and runs after her.

"Evie, wait!" He called.

"Not now, Doug," Evie said, unknowingly mimicking the tone of someone she knows.

"Yikes. Uma was right. You do sound like Mal," said Doug.

Evie glares at the dwarf, warning him about saying those words to her. Doug's nervous expression tells her that he understands the message.

"Evie, I can't just sit down and watch you hurt yourself by giving up," said Doug. "Mal's your best friend. Out of all of us, you should be the most hopeful that she's still out there."

"Doug, it's been three days," Evie reminded him. "All the reports we've been getting are the same. Negative. I asked my mirror hundreds of times where Mal is, but it's giving me nothing. If she's still out there, then why hasn't she come home yet? Why can't my mirror find her?"

"Why are you like this?" asked Doug. "The Evie I know would always look on the bright side."

"Where's the bright side, Doug?" Evie asked hopelessly. "And don't say sunlight, because that's just literal."

"Evie, please, talk to me," Doug pleaded. "I'm your boyfriend. You have to let me help you. You don't..."

"Have to be alone," Evie said at the same time as Doug.

Doug was surprised that Evie knew what he was gonna say. Evie knew that he was gonna ask so she gave him an answer before the question.

"That's what I said to Mal," said Evie.

"Then heed your own advice," said Doug.

After a few more seconds of hesitation, Evie finally opens herself. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if that I keep wishing and hoping, only to find out that it's all for nothing, then it's gonna hurt more. I know that I should keep hoping, but everything is telling me that it's pointless. I wanna keep believing that Mal is still alive, but..."

Evie started breathing heavily and sniffing. Doug knew she was about to cry, so he puts his arms around her and pulls her close. Evie lets out all of her sorrow as she hugs him back. Her tears rained down from her eyes and stained Doug's shirt, though he didn't mind. All he cared about was comforting his girlfriend. Clearly, she hasn't stopped worrying about Mal, as evidenced by the large stain on the shoulder part of his shirt, caused by Evie's plentiful tears.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Doug," said Evie. "All I can think about is making CJ pay."

"I can't stop you from thinking about that, but I will tell you not stop hoping," said Doug. "Just remember. I'm always here for you."

Evie wipes the tears off her face as she smiles at Doug, happy to know that she has a shoulder to lean on when she needs it.

* * *

Meanwhile, Carlos was at his dorm, typing on his laptop non-stop. On the screen was a map focusing on the oceans surrounding Auradon. He seemed to be looking for something, and the look on his face would tell anyone that he wasn't gonna stop staring at the screen until he found what he was looking for. However, a message popped up on the screen, saying " _Location Not Found_."

"Dalmatians!" Carlos cursed, slamming his hands on the keyboard.

"Language, man," Dude scolded.

"Sorry," Carlos apologized, petting his canine companion.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" asked Jay, who was sitting on his bed, watching his friend throw a tantrum.

"I'm trying to pick up the signal from Mal's phone. If I can trace its location, we can find her," said Carlos. "But no matter how many times I retry, I keep getting the same message. It's not working."

"Water and phones don't exactly mix," said Jay. "Maybe you can't find it because it's all wet and shorted out."

"I made Mal a waterproof phone," said Carlos. "The only way I haven't been able to capture a signal is if her phone is at the bottom of the..." Carlos stopped, realizing he was thinking of the worst possible scenario.

"Hey, don't tell me you're giving up, too?" Jay didn't want to see the young boy sulk and cry like their blue-haired friend. "I know this looks bad, but technology can't tell if Mal is alive or not. We have to be able to see it for ourselves."

"I wish I was just as optimistic as you right now," said Carlos, still feeling hopeless.

"Well, you can start by shutting off that thing," said Jay.

Carlos replies by closing his laptop.

"Next, take a deep breath," said Jay.

Carlos breaths in, holds his breathe for a couple seconds, and then breaths out.

"Atta-boy," Jay replied, happy to see his best friend calming down. "Look, I know this may be the wrong time, but why don't we go down to the Tourney Field and do some shooting? I know finding Mal is top priority, but you look like you need to get out, and not just to fight pirates."

"C'mon, Carlos. You love Tourney," said Dude, agreeing to Jay's suggestion.

"Fine," Carlos reluctantly agreed. "But only for an hour."

Jay sighs in response. "Look, dude, I'm just as worried about her as you..."

"Wait, do you me Dude or _him_ Dude?" Dude asked, wondering if Jay was referring to him or Carlos as "dude."

Jay ignores the dog and continues. "But you can't just sulk in the dark like she does when something bad happens. You're better than that."

"I know I should be," said Carlos. "But it's just too hard not to think about Mal when I'm so worried about her. I'm beginning to understand why Evie gave up."

Jay grabs Carlos' arm and pulls him off the bed. He pats him in the back and walks him out the door with an arm around him, trying to keep him from sulking any further. Despite the slight pain in his back from the hard patting, Carlos appreciates Jay's concern for him and efforts to make him feel better. He's like the big brother he never had, unless you count his cousin Diego, who is like an annoying older brother.

"Hey, wait for me," said Dude, following the two boys.

* * *

At Beast Castle, Ben sat down at the dining table, alone. He stared at the bowl of strawberries in front of him. The very fruit that Mal loved so much. Just looking at them any longer made him think of her more. He couldn't even eat another after the first one. Despite hoping that Mal is still out there and alive, Ben was allowing his sorrow to slowly dominate his emotions. He has read way too many negative reports by the search teams to stay as positive as he was three days ago.

"Don't be like that, dear."

Ben turned around to his mother, the former queen Belle, enter the dining room.

"I just want you to know that I burned the latest report," said Belle.

"Still nothing?" Ben guessed.

"Let's forget about the reports and focus on you," said Belle, sitting down next to her son. "You can't give up on hope, Ben."

"I'm not trying to," said Ben. "It's just..."

"You're afraid that your hope will be the cause of your pain if Mal is..." Belle stopped herself, knowing that saying any word relating to what Ben fears Mal's fate is would worsen his mood.

"I just miss her so much," said Ben sadly. "I've lived my entire life without her in my life, but without her, I feel so empty."

"I know this is gonna sound the opposite of good, but that's exactly how you should feel," said Belle, holding her son's hand. "Mal is your true love and it's understandable if your life feels hollow without her around. Just don't let that keep you down. You have to remember that we're all here for you, Ben. You have more than enough friends and family to fill that hole."

Ben smiled. Belle smiled as well, happy to see that her words are comforting her son.

"Just don't lose hope, Ben," she said. "Hope is a powerful thing. If you keep hoping, the universe might reward you by delivering Mal right at our doorstep."

"I'm gonna try," said Ben.

"Don't try. Just do it," said Belle. "Never stop hoping. Keep on wishing. I just know that she's out there somewhere wishing she can come back home to you. If the two of your keep on hoping, then nothing else will get in the way of you two reuniting."

Ben's smile grew wider. "I am so happy you're my mother."

"And I'm happy to hear you say that," said Belle. "Me and your father, we're never gonna leave your side, no matter what."

Belle gives her son a big hug, which he happily returned. Ben loved it when her mother always came to him whenever he was sad. Her words of wisdom were always good to hear, and he wanted to spread her wisdom throughout Auradon so everyone would know how he felt when his mother is by his side.

"Should I order you some tea?" Ben offered.

"That would be lovely," Belle accepted.

Ben rings the bell, calling for Lumiere.

* * *

CJ and her crew have spent the past three days collecting the ingredients needed to make the potion that would assemble the three fragments they found. After collecting a rare flower from the forest of Eden, the crew sail the flying ship back to the waters as they prepared to complete the potion.

In the dining area, Zevon extracts the essence from the petals of the flower and adds it to the potion.

"Is it finished?" Ginny asked.

"It only needs one more ingredient," said Zevon. He turns to the page on Mal's spell book where the ingredients of the potion are given. "One drop of dragon's blood."

"And how are we supposed to get that?" Ginny questioned.

"Well, there's Maleficent," said Gil. "I mean, I know she's a lizard now, but if we can turn her back into a dragon, maybe we can ask her to give us some of her blood."

"Actually, we won't need to," said CJ.

CJ takes out her hook. Its tip was still coated with Mal's blood, only dried since their battle took place days ago. She places her hook over a candle, letting the fire liquefy the blood. She then hovers her hook over the potion bottle, allowing one drop to fall into it.

"Uh, where did you get that?" Gil asked, confused.

"From Mal, you idiot," said CJ. "She's part-dragon, remember? Which means that her blood is exactly what we needed."

"Fortunate you used your hook on her or we would be at a dead end right now," said Harry.

"It's too bad Malsy won't be around to witness our triumph," said CJ. "This game isn't so much fun without her around."

CJ pours one drop of the potion on each of the fragments. They begin to light up, causing the villain kids to step back, surprised. They can see the fragments slowly moving towards each other. Once they touched, a golden glow lit up the room as the fragments assembled into one. The villain kids had to cover their eyes until the glowing ceased.

Once it did, they could see what has become of the artifact. It was round but no longer bronze. It was golden now. There was also a symbol in the center.

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"I've seen this before," said CJ, holding the golden artifact in her hands.

"Meaning?" asked Ginny.

"Meaning that Auradon is ours," said CJ.

CJ started laughing maniacally, followed by her brother. The other crew members laughed along while having no idea why they were laughing. They just loved to laugh evilly.

"Harry, turn this ship towards Neverland," CJ ordered. "We got some _lost boys_ to visit."

"Aye aye, captain," Harry obeyed.

"Now that we have this in our hands, Auradon will be powerless against us, especially since they lost their precious _lady_ Mal," CJ said before laughing maniacally again.

* * *

At the bottom of the ocean lies the body of Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. Her eyes remained closed as she breathed no more. Her wound, however, had stopped bleeding and healed. A double dragon tattoo lit up on her forearm, glowing with the colors of black and purple. No sea creature dared to come close as a magical aura protected the young sorceress. The sea floor she lied upon began to decay as the dark magic within her escaped. The sand turned black and the plants withered and died. Sea life affected by the dark magic were vaporized, erasing them from existence.

As her dark magic spread across the ocean, Mal opened her eyes, which glowed green.

 **GASP!**

 **Okay, so maybe you all saw this coming, but there is a reason why Mal's story has taken an unexpected turn. The "tragic experience" that she suffered, as mentioned in the summary, has passed. You may be curious about what will happen next to Mal, as well as wonder what the artifact that CJ found does. You'll get your answers in the future chapters. I promise.**


	18. I'm Back

**Mal's back, but is she the same Mal we all know and love? You're about to find out.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheGreatGodzilla, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, top story, Quartz Rider, Luvs2Read, booklover212**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla:_ I must say, you're review is pretty deep. Changes are coming for Mal, that's for sure, but you may want to brace yourself.**

 ** _To Luvs2Read:_ When I wrote "the dark magic left her," I meant that her magic was awakening because Mal was waking up.**

 ** _To booklover212:_ You don't have to say "update please" (It doesn't really motivate me), but I'm glad you think it's good.**

Ben calls for a breakfast meeting to discuss the next battle plan against CJ Hook and her villain kid crew. The company present in the meeting includes his parents his closest friends, both AKs and VKs. Evie was fifteen minutes late to the meeting, all because she was afraid to show her face after angrily expressing her decision to give up on searching for Mal. Fortunately, there were no ill feelings expressed towards her. Uma kept her mouth shut, not caring about Evie's feelings, obviously.

"Remind me why I'm still here?" asked Chad. "I should be at home with my parents, throwing parties, maybe invite Audrey."

"Someone needs to take care of Dizzy when we're out," said Evie.

"Okay, I guess that makes staying here kinda worth it," Chad admitted. "But why not invite me to the battlefield? I'm the best fighter on the R.O.A.R. team..."

"I may have a few words about that," Lonnie interrupted.

"This mission requires less ego and more focused heads," said Jay.

"And you don't have an ego?" Carlos teased.

Jay punches Carlos on the shoulder. Carlos punches back. Jay responds by punching him again.

"Hey," Evie intervened, stopping the boys from fighting. "You're lucky Mal isn't here, Jay. She may be able to tolerate you punching Carlos on the shoulder, but if this escalates and she's here, you're gonna regret it."

"What would Mal do?" asked Lonnie, sort of afraid to know the answer.

"Let's focus more on our next move," said Evie, dismissing the question.

"Have you tried your mirror again?" Doug asked.

"Still nothing," said Evie. "Whatever magic they have up their sleeve, it's keeping them cloaked from my mirror's sight. I'm not sure how it was able to find them a couple times before, but my guess is that CJ will only let us find her when she wants to."

"Guys, our next move is simple," said Jay. "We get our own ship and sail the seas. CJ and Harry are pirates, and pirates sail on pirate ships. If we can't use magic to find that ship, we're gonna have to use our eyes."

"And how long is that gonna take?" Uma questioned. "The ocean is vast. It could take days, maybe weeks to find her."

"You just can't wait to get out of here, can you?" Freddie questioned her.

Uma growled with anger at Freddie, who just shot her with a teasing smile. Fortunately, Lonnie was sitting in between them in order to prevent a fight from happening.

"We could try to ask Merlin for help?" Jane suggested. "He is the most powerful sorcerer, well, next to my mom, at least. Maybe he has a way of finding their pirate ship."

"No, I can't allow that, not without considering all the possible scenarios," said Ben.

"Son, I may have been the one who enacted the no-magic rule, but maybe you may want to consider allowing this," said King Beast.

"For once, I agree with Beasty Sr. here," said Uma.

"That only frightens me even more," said Ben honestly.

While the others argued with Ben, Evie simply smiled. Her giggles caused everyone to stop talking and look at her.

"What's so funny?" Belle asked.

"We're sitting here debating on what to do next," said Evie, knowingly stating the obvious. "It just makes me think about what Mal would say if she was here. She's always making the tough calls that we debate on. She always knew exactly what to do, no matter the pros and cons."

"Well, Mal isn't here," Uma reminded her loudly.

Everyone becomes startled when the doors were opened suddenly with so much force. They all turned their heads towards the door to see who came in. To their surprise, it was the person they were talking about a few seconds ago. Walking into the dining room in her black and purple combat boots, staring at all them with an emotionless expression on her face was the very person they feared they had lost. The daughter of Maleficent herself, Mal.

"I'm back," she said with a deadpan tone.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Sixty seconds pass and still no one said a word. Everyone sitting on the dining table were staring at the purple-haired sorceress with eyes opened as wide as their mouths. Mal did not crack a smile, not even a smirk, and simply stared at everyone with a hand on her hip. Her expression remained blank as she awaited for the first person to rush towards her and give her a hug, as she expected would happen.

It did. The first person to hug her was Evie, who was about to release tears of joy from her eyes.

"You came back," said Evie happily.

"The prodigal daughter returns," said Jay, putting both his arms around the girls.

"Welcome back," said Carlos, joining the group hug.

"We were so worried," said Evie. "We... I... I thought you were..."

"Dead?" Mal guessed as she freed herself from the group hug. "That's the word you're looking for, right? Dead?"

No one said a word. Carlos scratched the back of his hair but prevented himself to saying anything other than "um." Evie didn't know how to tell Mal that she gave up on looking for her. Jay whistled in an effort to make the moment less awkward, failing admirably to do so.

Mal looks towards the aqua-colored sea witch glaring at her and greets her with subtle contempt.

"Shrimpy."

"Princess," Uma greeted her with obvious contempt.

Ben gets up from his chair, walks towards Mal, and quickly gives her a kiss on the lips. Mal puts her hand behind his hand and pulls him closer, deepening the kiss. What started as a tender kiss turned into a fierce make-out session, courtesy of Mal. Freddie covers Jane's eyes. Belle and Beast are embarrassed by what they're seeing. Carlos had to turn around and look away. Mal was kissing Ben so hard that he had to retreat, feeling uncomfortable by her ferocity.

"That's, uh, a bit too much," said Ben.

"I thought you love me," said Mal, pouting while still sounding nearly emotionless.

"I do," said Ben. "But I'm not really ready for... what you just did."

"You're no fun," said Mal. "But I love you."

"To think, I almost gave up hope," said Ben. "But I always knew that, somehow, you would find your way back to us."

"I would expect nothing less from you," said Mal, slapping Ben on the cheek with one finger.

"Mal, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Belle asked, feeling as if Mal's stoic appearance was a mask to hide her trauma from her near-death experience.

"Oh, I feel better than okay," said Mal, finally curving her lips into a smirk. "I feel... reborn."

"And what exactly does that mean?" Jay asked, confused.

"Let's cut the chit-chat and move on to the important stuff," said Mal. "You guys want to find CJ. I know where she's going next."

"Where?" Beast asked.

"Neverland," Mal answered.

* * *

While Ben contacts Neverland to warn them of CJ and her crew, the four VKs - Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos - decide to have a private conversation in Mal's room. Mal, for some reason, was staring at her reflection on the giant mirror. She looked like a child who had just looked into a mirror for the first time. She tilts her head left and right as her eyes glowed, leaning closer towards the mirror. Evie, Jay, and Carlos stood on the other side of the room, looking at their friend with strange looks on their faces.

"Something's wrong with her," said Jay.

"She almost died, Jay," Evie reminded him. "She just needs time to recover."

"Recover, huh? Look at her," said Jay, gesturing to the purple-haired future queen.

Mal was now touching the mirror as if she was trying to touch the person she sees in it. While Jay and Carlos were weirded out by her odd behavior, Evie thought it was cute.

"She's acting like a zombie," Jay whisper-shouted.

"You don't suppose she's gonna eat our brains, is she?" Carlos asked half-jokingly.

"Nah, I think she would eat us whole, since she does turn into a dragon," Jay replied. "I bet she eats you first."

"Oh, yeah? Maybe she'll eat you first," Carlos replied.

"Stop it. No one is eating anyone," said Evie. "Look, Mal's been through a lot lately. She witnessed a little girl die. She took her first life. She almost lost Dizzy. She nearly drowned. The best thing we can do is be there for her, not treat her like she's a stranger."

"I don't know, Evie. I mean, I love her as much as you do, but something doesn't feel right," said Carlos.

Evie ignores Carlos and walks towards her best friend. Mal raises her hand and creates a small fire. This causes Evie to panic and run towards Mal instead of walking. She grabs Mal's wrist and blows out the fire from her hand.

"Okay, there won't be any need for that," said Evie nervously.

"Why do you gotta keep ruining my relaxation?" Mal asked, sounding both stoic and irritated.

"I just want you to take it easy. You've been through so much this past week. I just want to make sure you're okay," said Evie, concerned.

"I already said I'm more than okay," said Mal, shaking Evie's hand off her wrist.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Evie, still concerned.

"I feel... free," said Mal. "No more fear. No more inhibitions. No more limits."

Once again, Mal's seemingly emotionless tone and dark look on her face were unsettling her friends. Evie couldn't stay positive considering what she was hearing. She figures Mal is going through some unusual recovering phase, but she didn't seem traumatized at all.

"Mal, I know this may be too soon, but why did you do it?" asked Evie. "Why did you let yourself fall? Why didn't you just tell CJ the truth? We were all scared for you."

"Because I knew you all look at me differently if you knew," said Mal. "I killed Maddy..."

"Yeah, we know," said Evie. "But what's that got to do with your secret?"

"I killed her because I wanted to," Mal confessed.

Evie's eyes and mouth opened wide as she stepped back in fear and confusion. She didn't want to believe it, but the look on Mal's face and the tone of her voice made it clear that she was not joking. She knew Mal is playfully ruthless and slightly aggressive, but this was a shocking revelation.

"Mal, how could you?" Evie asked.

"She threatened Ben, and I wanted her to take it back," said Mal. "I could've done anything. Punch her. Cast a spell on her. Instead, I stabbed her with my sword and kicked her off the cliff and left her to drown. And I loved it. I felt joy and pleasure in what I did."

"Mal, you can't mean this," said Evie.

"I'm sorry, Evie, but I do," said Mal. "Death has given me a new perception on life. I no longer have to hold back if I don't want to. It hurt me to limit myself. I was afraid of the consequences if I didn't retrain myself. Now, I no longer have to be afraid."

Evie had recently told the boys that they shouldn't treat Mal like a stranger just because of her current behavior. However, the person in front of Evie is exactly as she didn't want to treat her like. A total stranger.

"So, this is why you tried to get yourself killed?" Evie questioned, feeling betrayed. "I gave up looking for you because I thought you were gone. I had to convince myself that I had accepted your fate. Now, you're back and you're telling me that you cared more about keeping your big secret than you cared about us."

"Life's harsh that way," said Mal.

"And you don't even feel an ounce of guilt for making us worry?" Evie asked.

Mal did not say a word. She just turned her back on Evie, who did not how she was feeling right now. All of her joy for Mal's return have died almost completely. That joy has been replaced with disappointment, confusion, and betrayal. How is this uncaring, unfeeling soul in front of her the same person who told her that she didn't need beauty to find love? Had Mal really died that day she drowned herself?

"And here I thought I was getting a welcome home party," Mal joked.

"Well, plans cancelled," Evie said half-sarcastically. "Apparently, the _prodigal daughter_ is a fire hazard."

Unamused, Mal just blows her bangs up. Although, she did appreciate this bitter side in Evie. She must've been more worried than she appeared, Mal thought. She looks over Evie's shoulder to see the boys trying to pretend they're minding their own business. She was almost amused by how pathetic they were acting.

"Don't you guys have anything to say?" Mal asked.

"Uh, please don't eat our brains," Carlos said jokingly.

To Evie and Jay's surprise, Mal grins as she chuckles, actually amused by Carlos' joke.

"Okay, not much of a zombie, I guess," Jay commented.

Mal walks closer towards Carlos and strokes his white hair, causing the boy to awkwardly attempt to avoid eye contact.

"Got into any trouble while I was gone?" Mal asked.

"Well, uh, Jay punched me in the shoulder really hard. Is that worthy of a punishment?" Carlos answered, if rather nervously, as shown by his facial expression.

"You are so cute, you know that?" Mal teased, pinching his cheek.

Carlos laughs nervously, not knowing the right words for a verbal response. Mal turns around and faces Evie and Jay, who were both still visibly concerned about her.

"Look, guys, I know I'm different," said Mal. "I don't expect you to understand. I just expect you to accept it. I'm not the same Mal you knew."

"Clearly," Evie agreed, if bitterly.

"But in the end, she's still our best friend," Carlos intervened in order to dampen the tension. "Right, Mal?"

"Yeah, whatever," Mal replied as if she wasn't listening.

A knock on the door interrupts the conversation. Evie opens the door and sees Ben, who was holding a bowl of strawberries in his hands.

"May I come in?" Ben asked.

"Let him in," said Mal.

Ben enters the room and gives Mal the bowl. "I thought maybe you would like some."

"Always caring about me, you're so sweet," said Mal, kissing Ben on the lips. Gently, this time. "So, any news from Neverland?"

"They're setting up their defenses," said Ben. "All that's left now is for us to come to their aid."

"Well, then call Merlin. He'll get us there in a jiffy," said Mal, munching on a strawberry.

"Mal, you don't have to come," said Ben. "You've just been through a terrible experience. It's okay if you need rest."

"Ben, I'm more alive than I've ever felt in my entire life," said Mal. "I don't need rest. I need to get out there."

"Mal, please, I'm just worried," said Ben. "I don't know if you're trying to hide your trauma or something, but I can tell something's wrong with you. Whether you want to admit it or not, I don't want you to exert yourself.

"I second that," said Jay, raising his hand.

Evie reluctantly nods, agreeing with Ben to sideline Mal for the Neverland defense mission. Carlos didn't know what to say or do. Mal feels like the whole world was against her on this, all because of a little choice she made at Skull Rock. However, she was not going to let everyone's beliefs and assumptions force her to sit down on the couch all day.

"Ben, you're right," she said.

"I'm glad to hear that," said Ben, assuming Mal was agreeing that she should rest.

"Not about the R&R thing," said Mal. "No one gives me orders but me. I'm going. No debate. As soon as I'm done eating, we're leaving."

Mal sits down on the couch as she continues to eat her strawberries. She didn't have to look to know that her friends and fiance are still worried about her. She ignored them because she didn't care. No matter how concerned they are of her, she was gonna return to the battlefield.

Evie quietly pushes Ben out of the room so they can speak in private.

"We have to do something about Mal." she whispered. "She can't come with us."

 **What is wrong with Mal? Until the future chapters come, you may have to theorize an answer for that question. Before you get critical, I always intended for this to happen. The big question in the summary and the cliffhanger in the previous chapter were obvious hints that something big was going to happen to Mal. I hope you're ready for what comes next.**

 **'Til next time...**


	19. Darkness Rising

**Mal is back, but she's different. Bad different, not good different, obviously, as you have read. Her friends and fiance are concerned.**

 **WARNING: If you thought Mal was scary different in the previous chapter, well, it's about to get worse. Read at your own risk.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: TheGreatGodzilla, DragonEmperor999, Quartz Rider, top story, WinterFreeze MusicGirl, Guest43, CarvieCamfia**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla: _I think I sort of agree with you.**

 ** _To Guest43:_ In Ben's defense, Mal was being way too intense with the kiss.**

 ** _To CarvieCamfia:_ I'll try to add more. I promise.**

After Mal was finished eating her strawberries, Ben asked her if they can talk in private in the library. Despite her impatience, she agreed. While they wait for Mrs. Potts to prepare them some tea, Ben looks for a specific book he wanted to read to Mal, who, at the moment, was fiddling with the fire in her hands. This disturbs Ben, but he focuses on finding the book he was looking for.

Mrs. Potts enters the library with a tray of teacups and a teapot just as Ben finds the book he needs. As expected, he finds Mal drinking tea in an unladylike way. Instead of putting one finger around the handle of the teacup, Mal holds it like a glass of water and drinks all of it in one gulp.

"This tea tastes terrible," said Mal.

"It's Mrs. Potts' special green tea," said Ben. "It soothes the brain and the body like no tea ever made."

"Well, my mind and body don't feel soothed. I just have a terrible taste in my mouth," said Mal, spitting after speaking.

"You'll get used to it after the third, maybe fourth cup," said Ben.

Mal reads the cover of the book that Ben picked.

"Frozen?" She questioned him. "I already know the story about a queen with ice powers who nearly froze her entire kingdom."

"That's why we're only reading one part of the story," said Ben.

Ben opens the book to the chapter where the Duke of Weselton's men were trying to kill Queen Elsa. Ben can tell that Mal was enjoying the part where Elsa had both men dead to rights. One was pinned to the wall with a sharp piece of ice pointed at his neck. The other was being pushed towards the edge, about to plummet into a hundred foot drop.

"If Hans hadn't shown up, things would've gotten messier," said Mal.

"Hans may have been a villain, but he was right about one thing. Elsa couldn't be the monster that everyone once feared she would be," said Ben. "The Trolls always knew that Elsa's powers had dangerous potential. If she wanted to, she could've used them to take a life to defend herself, but she didn't. She controlled herself, understood the limits of her powers."

"Limits are overrated," said Mal. "You can't discover your full potential if you keep letting restrictions stifle your power."

"But there's a reason limits exist," said Ben. "Had Elsa gone too far, even if she would get her happy ending, going beyond her limits would taint her soul until it's nearly impossible to clean it."

"So?" Mal didn't see the point.

"You're kidding, right?" Ben hoped.

Mal snatches the book from Ben and reads it. A smile creeps up on Mal's face. Just when Ben thought Mal was beginning to understand his message to, she incinerates the book in an instant. Mal nonchalantly wipes her hands clean as she faced Ben with a dark expression on her face.

"I know what you're trying to do," said Mal. "You're trying to trick me into sitting out the upcoming Neverland chaos. Well, nice try, I admit, but nice try."

Mal gets up and makes her way to the door. Just as Mal opened the door, Ben stood in her way.

"Out of the way, your majesty," Mal demanded.

"Mal, you have to understand why we're here," said Ben.

"I already understand. You don't trust me and you're afraid I'll go all villain-y out there," Mal assumed. "Ben, I feel more powerful than I've ever been. I'm your best chance at ending this war once and for all. You can't put me on the bench while the rest of you get to have all the fun."

"Is that what this is to you now? Fun and games?" asked Ben, concerned by how dark and emotionless Mal is sounding right now.

"Move, Ben!" Mal demanded again. "Don't make me kiss you. Trust me. You won't like it."

"I didn't want to have to do this," said Ben sadly. "But it appears I have no choice."

Ben takes a few steps back away from the doorway.

"Fairy God Mother, now," Ben ordered.

Suddenly, a wave of magic creates a barrier blocking the door to the library. Mal touches it and it zaps her, causing her to retract her finger. Fairy God Mother reveals herself, holding her magic wand in her hand and wearing a regretful look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Mal," said Fairy God Mother. "King's orders."

Mal pounds her fist on the barrier, but it shocks her again.

"Ben, how could you?" Mal asked, the feeling of betrayal present in her voice but not her face.

"It was our idea."

Evie, Jay, and Carlos show up to see that their plan to trap Mal in the library with an anti-magic barrier is a success. Although, if they were being honest, that was Plan B. Plan A was for Ben to talk some sense into Mal, but if that failed, they would take drastic measures to make sure she doesn't leave the castle.

"You guys... planned this?" Mal asked, subtly shocked.

"Mal, believe me, we want you to be out there for us, but you're not thinking clearly," said Evie.

"You guys are making a big mistake," said Mal. "You need me. I am the only one here who will do what is necessary to put an end to CJ's evil."

"Including burning down the kingdom?" Jay replied. "Because if it comes down to that, we can't let you come with us."

"Mal, please, understand that we're doing this for your own good," said Evie. "This is more than just about us being worried about how you've been acting lately. We almost lost you once. We don't want to lose you again."

"That's a lie," said Mal. "You're more afraid of me than you are worried for me. I can see it in your eyes. In all of your eyes."

Ben steps closer so Mal can see clearly how bad he feels for having to do this to her.

"Mal, you know that I love you," said Ben. "But right now, I can't let my heart cloud my mind. This may have been your friends' idea, but I gave them my approval."

Mal may still appear stoic, but the tear coming her eye shows that she's hurt by her true love's decision. How could he agree to this, she wondered.

"You betrayed me," Mal muttered with faint rage.

"I'm sorry, Mal. Truly, I am," said Ben honestly.

"We better go," said Jay. "Merlin will be here any minute."

"I'll send guards to defend the library, just in case," said Fairy God Mother.

Everyone started walking away, all except for Carlos, who just stood there looking at Mal.

"Carlos, you can't just leave me here," Mal said, putting her hand on the barrier again, only to get shocked again.

Carlos walks closer and puts his hand on the barrier as if he was trying to reach for Mal and pull her out, but he knows it was a futile attempt. The two villain kids looked at one another. No words were exchange, just stares. Carlos slowly removes his hand from the barrier as he walks away to join the others.

"Carlos," Mal called, but the boy did not return for her.

* * *

Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben, suited up in their VK-style leather, meet up with the rest of their friends, and Uma, outside Beast Castle.

"So, how'd it go?" Lonnie asked.

"Mal's trapped in the library, as planned," said Evie.

"Man, I didn't think Beasty Boy would be bold enough to betray his own girlfriend," said Uma, impressed. "I must say. I'm digging this bad side in you."

"This has nothing to do with my bad side. I had to make a tough call," said Ben, defending his reasons for approving such an action.

"Whatever you say, your highness," Uma replied disrespectfully. "Let's just get this over with so I can finally get away from you people."

"Aww, I thought you and I were finally getting along," Freddie teased her.

"Keep dreaming, Ms. Voodoo," Uma growled.

"I'm still keeping my word on the voodoo doll," Freddie said playfully.

"Okay, you two can argue like sisters later. Right now, we have a pirate crew to rough up," said Jay.

"And since Mal's sitting down for this, CJ's mine," said Uma.

"Didn't you say your magic didn't work on her?" Evie asked.

"Hey, Mal's magic worked on her," Uma reminded her. "I'm sure I can come up with something."

"I still think we shouldn't have done this to Mal," said Ben, still feeling guilty for setting his girlfriend up.

"Ben, we did the right thing," said Evie. "You heard her. Death has changed her, and not in a good. But don't worry. Once this is all over, we'll find a way to help her."

"Ifand when this is all over, Mal's certainly not gonna be a ray of sunshine when she sees us again," said Lonnie.

Jay looks at Carlos and notices that he's been silent for a long time. The white-haired tech prodigy was looking back at the castle, obviously thinking about the purple-haired sorceress, whom he called his friend.

"Hey, c'mon, dude. No time to be wallowing in guilt right now," said Jay, putting an arm around the boy he considered a brother. "You get to test out more of your fancy thingamajigs on those rotten pirates. Aren't you excited?"

Carlos remained silent as he swats Jay's arm off him and walks away.

"I think Mal's zombie-ness is rubbing off on him," Jay muttered.

A tornado suddenly appears out of nowhere. Uma was about to panic, but Ben calmed her down because he already knew what it meant. The tornado disappears and the great wizard Merlin bowed before the King of Auradon.

"Nice entrance," said Uma.

Merlin screamed a little at the sight of Ursula's daughter. Remembering that he has been informed of her alliance with the King, he clears his throat and adjusts his spectacles as he tried to appear professional. Uma was mildly amused by the old wizard's behavior.

"Shall I take to Neverland right away, your majesty?" Merlin asked.

"Right away would be appreciated," said Ben.

With a wave of Merlin's wand, Ben and his friends, and Uma, are whisked away by a whirlwind, heading straight for Neverland.

"May the Gods be at your side, heroes," Merlin hoped.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

The whirlwind descends on Neverland, dropping off its passengers one by one. Jay was dropped off first, only for Ben to fall on top of him, followed by Lonnie and then Evie and then Freddie and then Uma and then Carlos. The fairies and lost boys were delighted to see them, only to giggle at the hilarious predicament they're in. After picking themselves up, they stood straight and waved or, in Uma's case, glared at them.

"King Ben, we are so glad you're here," said Peter Pan.

"We're glad to be here as well," said Ben.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Pan," said Lonnie, shaking hands with the young boy.

"It's just Peter, ma'am," said Peter.

"How are defense coming, Peter?" asked Ben.

"We're all set," said Peter. "We've set up multiples defenses up in the trees. When those villain kids step foot into the forest, they'll be in for a big surprise."

Somebody pokes Peter on the shoulder, trying to capture his attention. The boy turns around to see Cubby, accompanied by the other original Lost Boys."

"Uh, Peter, there's something we need to tell you," said Cubby nervously, as evidence by his tone and the sweat coming from his face.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"It's about..." Cubby gulped nervously. "CJ."

"What about CJ?" Peter asked.

"Well, remember when we said that Tinker Bell was on a vacation?" asked Cubby.

"Yeah?" Peter replied.

"We lied," said all the Lost Boys (except the mute Tootles) at the same time, feeling ashamed of themselves.

"Wait, why? And where's Tink?" asked Peter.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Beast Castle, in the library, Mal sat down on the couch, twiddling her thumbs and taking deep breaths as she constantly reminded herself of who are responsible for locking her up behind a magical barrier.

 _How could they do this to me?_

 _Lock me up like a poor unfortunate soul on the Isle of the Lost?_

 _And they get to have all the fun?_

 _It's not fair._

 _Why?_

Every dark thought imaginable circled around Mal's head, as she believed those she called her family had betrayed her, left her behind because they feared her power, afraid of what might transpire should she unleash it.

 _If they fear me, then so be it._

 _No one puts this dragon in a cage._

 _No one!_

Outside the library door, the three guards stationed to guard the barrier started to feel the ground shaking. It got stronger with each passing second. They start to lose balance, but they helped each others remain standing. However, it was hard to stay on their feet with the quake growing stronger.

"What is going on? Earthquake?" asked one guard.

"Not again," another guard complained.

Inside the library, dark magic started emanating from Mal. The double dragon tattoo on her forearm glowed as the aura of black magic around her grew bigger and bigger. Mal stood up as she walked towards the door, hands curled into fists and her eyes glowing brighter than ever. She's never felt so much dark magic in her blood before. It felt... invigorating, in a wicked kind of way.

With a simple pump of her fists, Mal unleashes a burst of dark energy that destroys the magical barrier, as well as the library doors, blasting them off their hinges and sending them flying several feet away. The windows of the library have shattered as well and the bookshelves collapsed, causing thousands of books to drop to the floor.

Mal walks out of the destroyed doorway to find three guards lying down on the floor, slowly getting up due to pain, obviously caused by her magical outburst. As soon as they saw her, they drew their swords.

"Hold it right there, milady," said one guard. "Fairy God Mother ordered us to keep you inside the library until the King returns."

Mal responds by chuckling evilly.

"You fools have no idea what I'm truly capable of," Mal said threateningly. "I think it's time to test my new power."

With a simple wave of her hand, she set two of the guards on fire. They dropped to the floor as the fires slowly burn them into ashes.

"You monster!" The last guard exclaimed.

"Why, thank you," Mal replied, taking his insult as a compliment. "As fun as it would be to just burn you right now, I could use a warm-up."

Mal draws her sword and taunts the guard, daring him to come closer. After the first clash of their blades, Mal quickly kicks the guard in the stomach and strikes him in the back, knocking him down on his knees and causing him to drop his sword. Just as he was about to pick it up, Mal presses her sword against his neck, daring him to reach down any further.

"The King will not stand for this," said the guard.

"I know," said Mal.

With a swift move of her arm, Mal slits the guard's throat, killing him in an instant. His body drops as the floor becomes stained with his blood.

"I just don't care," said Mal.

Scaring some of the staff along the way, Mal makes her way out of the castle and towards where her so-called "family" are currently at right now.

 **If that made you uncomfortable, believe me, it made me uncomfortable writing this, too. I did leave a WARNING at the top for a reason, after all. I have mentioned time and time again that I intend to take this story into dark waters, trying to explore the world of Descendants in a much more serious direction.**

 **If you want the battle of Neverland, you'll get it in the next chapter.**


	20. Evil

**I hope Mal's changes haven't dissuaded you from continuing to read this story. Many others have tried this approach before, but I'm trying to take this idea in a different direction, emphasis on "try." I just want to warn you to read at your own risk. We're very deep in dark waters now.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, WinterFreeze MusicGirl, Luvs2Read, mekuro-K, Quartz Rider, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, Guest**

 ** _To Quartz Rider:_ As for what happened to Tinker Bell, reread Chapter 6 ("Treasure Hunting").**

 ** _To WinterFreeze MusicGirl and Luvs2Read:_ Until the story can answer your question about Mal, you may want to read the summary again, just to give you an idea.**

The Lost Pearl stopped miles away from Nerverland. The ship's captain and crew sailed the rest of the way on a rowboat. As they stepped foot on the shore, they took the moment to admire the sights. Even if this is the island belonging to the famous Peter Pan, they have to admit that the place has its wonders.

"Good to be back," said CJ.

Harry inhales deeply to sniff the air. "This island's got a unique scent. I love it."

Gil smells the air. "I don't smell anything."

Harry holds his hook in front of Gil's face, threatening to either scratch him or hit him with it if he said another word.

"Alright, boys and girl, it's time to send this island down to the bottom of the sea," said CJ, looking at the golden amulet in her hand. "I can't wait to test this baby out."

"What is it exactly?" asked Gil.

"I think it's better to show than tell," said CJ. "Split up. We'll attract less attention that way."

"Where do we meet?" asked Harry.

CJ takes out a map of Neverland, which she stole, and shows it to the rest of her crew.

"The top of the hill," said CJ, pointing at the spot where she plans to meet them. "Just stay out of sight until it's time. That way, we can surprise them."

"You really love to make a dramatic entrances, don't you?" Ginny questioned, gesturing to the rope that she was asked to bring along.

"Hey, at least you get to look down on them from up above," CJ replied.

"I do like that," said Ginny, grinning.

"No one can stand in our way now," said Zevon, eager to draw some attention. "Man, I wish I still had Jafar's scepter."

"Won't need it. Not yet, at least," said CJ. "Now, let's go."

The five villain kids split up and enter the forest. Every one of them had a bit of an uncomfortable encounter with nature on their way to the hill. Gil hit his face against a tree. Harry had to use his hook to cut through a dense field of leaves. Ginny tripped on a rock and fell face-first into a mud puddle. Zevon got attacked by birds and ends up falling into the river and down a cascade. CJ's attempts to use the vines to swing across the forest resulted in one snapping and causing her to crash.

Their attempts of stealth was put to a stop when Lost Boys revealed their presence in the trees, threatening to use crossbows and slingshots at them if they don't surrender.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ, Harry, Gil, Zevon, and Ginny were bound in ropes and taken to the center of Neverland. There, the villain kids were shocked to see someone they didn't expect to see there. King Ben and his friends.

"Uma," Harry muttered under his breath at the sight of the young sea witch.

Uma winks at Harry in response.

"How are you all here?!" Zevon shouted.

"Hey, don't speak like that in front of the king," said one Lost Boy, smacking him on the shoulder.

"While I agree with that, I am also curious as to how all you knew we would be here," said CJ.

"It doesn't matter how," said Ben. "What matters is what happens now. You've all committed crimes worthy of banishment. Kidnapping. Terroristic threats. But I'm all about second chances. So, I'm giving all of you a choice. Surrender and clemency or resist and imprisonment."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it right there, your majesty," Uma interrupted. "I was promised the captain's hat and a crew, not just the hat."

"Uma, I said I'd talk to my parents about your request. They don't trust you, but they told me to do what I believe is right," said Ben. "They'll get their chances, but they must earn that chance. I may be a forgiving person, but even I know when to take something very seriously."

"I should've known better than to hope you would hear me," said Uma.

"Uma, I beg of you, don't allow them to claim this victory," Harry pleaded.

"I'm working on it," Uma growled.

"Don't beg for her assetstance, Harry. She's a traitor," Zevon said to Harry.

"I think you mean _assistance_ ," Lonnie corrected him.

"Are we talking about clemency or Zevon's illiteracy?" Ginny asked, annoyed by all the pointless yapping.

"That's it!" Zevon has had enough of Ginny's attitude.

Fortunately, the Lost Boys kept the two villain kids from hurting each other. While everyone was occupied with Ginny and Zevon trying to strangle each other, CJ devises an escape plan. Despite her hands being tied up, she manages to grab the handle of her sword and pull it until part of the blade is out of the scabbard. After almost losing grip on the handle for a few seconds, CJ started cutting the ropes with the blade.

"Guys, stop. I don't want Harry to hit me again," Gil begged, feeling as if he'll punished if Ginny and Zevon don't stop fighting.

Harry replies headbutting Gil, knocking him to the ground. Judging from his face, Gil was dazed from the headbutt.

"Hey, why are there birds flying around my head?" Gil babbled.

"This is super pathetic," said Uma, covering her eyes with her hand. "How can CJ pick the worst of the Isle, and Zevon, and turn them into circus freaks instead of a pirate crew?"

"Why must I be treated with such disrespect?" Zevon questioned, exasperated.

"Okay, as much as I like watching you two fight, can we get on with this?" Jay complained. "We have to get home, like, five minutes ago."

"Oh, that animal can wait," Uma dissed him.

Knowing who the sea witch was referring to, Evie was about to draw her sword, only for Carlos to grab her hand and nodding at her, telling her not to.

Freddie rolls her eyes at everyone's antics, until she noticed CJ doing something suspicious. CJ had soon noticed that Freddie has seen what she is doing and hastened her escape.

"Guys!" Freddie shouted.

It was too late. CJ had cut herself free. She takes out one Lost Boy by hitting him in the face with her sword's handle. She takes the amulet back from him and turns it on. CJ's eyes glowed with the color of gold as pixie dust came out of nowhere and surrounded her.

"Oh, no," said Peter.

"It's never good when someone says that," Jay replied. "What's going on?"

"She found it," said Peter.

"Found what?" Jay asked.

"The Pixie Dust Amulet," said Peter. "It was created by an evil fairy long ago. Whoever possesses it is gifted with the magic to control the pixie dust."

"But it's harmless, right?" Carlos hoped.

CJ uses the pixie dust to knock out every Lost Boy that was watching over her crew. She then unleashes it on Ben and his friends, slamming them against the trees. While everyone suffers a concussion, Carlos was knocked out with a bump on his head. Evie immediately tended him, begging for him to wake up.

"Wow!" Gil reacted.

"For once, I agree with you," said Harry, staring at his sister in awe.

CJ cuts her crew members free. She gives each of them six balls made of pixie dust. To demonstrate, she throws one at boulder. The pixie dust explodes like a bomb, destroying the boulder, sending dozens of tiny pebbles flying everywhere.

"Awesome," Gil reacted.

"Remember, the King comes with us alive," said CJ.

"Way to take the fun out of it," Zevon replied.

CJ points at Zevon with a warning finger, causing him to flinch a bit, intimidated.

And so, the five villain kids started reeking havoc on Neverland. All the Lost Boys ran for their lives as exploding pixie dust destroyed everything in sight.

"Now, this is a party!" CJ exclaimed, swinging from a vine as she unleashed the pixie dust on anyone she sees.

"And we're bringing the blast!" Harry quipped, throwing another pixie dust ball at Lost Boys hiding behind a tree.

"And we're bringing the, uh... exploding... stuff..." Gil said, trying to come up with a clever remark, as he threw a ball at a treehouse, destroying it.

"You boys need to grow up," Ginny commented as she three two balls at a very thick tree.

"Time for a little upgrade," said Zevon as he added one drop of his potion to the pixie dust ball. He throws it at a tree and it exploded twice, destroying a couple trees close to the point of impact.

Freddie attempted to cut the vine CJ was swinging on by throwing a magical playing card, but the blonde pirate uses the pixie dust as a shield. She then forms a giant fist out of pixie dust and hits Freddie with it, causing her to crash into a tree, knocking her out.

"Sorry, Freddie, but you're in my way," said CJ with subtle guilt that even she couldn't hear.

CJ lets go of the vine, but before she could fall to the ground, she commands the pixie dust to give her the power to fly. Everyone, including her crew, were wowed by the sight of this. Having decided enough is enough, Peter Pan tries to shake off his daze from his concussion and flies up towards the blonde pirate. He takes out his small sword.

"Aww, that's a cute," CJ mocked.

"Where's Tinker Bell, pirate?" Peter demanded an answer.

"You'll have to defeat me to get the answer," said CJ. "Although, I doubt you can do with that child's toy you call a knife."

"My sword may be small, but I'm a better flier than you, for sure," said Peter confidently.

"Oh, it's on," CJ replied.

CJ draws her sword as a sword fight breaks out between her and The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. They were evenly matched when it came to sword-fighting, but Peter's experience in flying was helping him get the better of her. She playfully pokes her in the back, and then on the shoulder, and then on her head.

"Okay, so you are the better flier, but I got something else up my sleeve," said CJ.

Pixie dust literally came out from CJ's sleeve and surrounds Peter, blinding him. With one "flying" kick, CJ sends Peter falling down to the ground. Luckily, he fell on Jay, who was trying to catch him.

"Thanks," said Peter.

"No problem," Jay grunted due to the pain.

Carlos was finally waking up, much to Evie's relief.

"My bag," he said weakly, still recovering from the ache on his head. "Evie... my bag."

Evie finds Carlos' bag nearby and gives it to him. He opens it and takes out a small device taped to a metal rod. He plants the device on the ground and stars pushing buttons. When nothing happened after he pushed the big red button, he punches the device. It turns on and unleashes an electronic wave that spreads throughout Neverland. The pixie dust becomes destabilized, turning every pixie dust ball into a simple pile of dust and causing CJ to start falling.

"CJ!" Harry shouted with fear.

"I got her," Gil said as he tried to catch.

"No, I got her," said Harry.

Harry jumps and catches his sister, only to crash into Gil.

"Are you a'right?" Harry asked his sister.

"Thanks to you," CJ said gratefully.

Harry didn't know why he was smiling at his sister's tone of gratitude. He was just glad she was okay, but to hear her say "thank you" in such a nice way, it was making him both proud of himself and disgusted.

"What happened?" CJ asked.

"This happened," said Carlos, pointing at his device. "I finally cracked the code on disrupting magic with technology. This device taps into the frequency of the magical field surrounding us and releases an EMP that disrupts that frequency. Simply put, it neutralizes magic."

"Amazing," Evie reacted, impressed.

"I know, right?" Carlos replied, proud of himself.

"I meant that you managed to crack the code without me," said Evie.

Carlos blushed as he looked away from Evie in embarrassment. Truthfully, Evie was impressed, even though she wished he consulted her. Although, considering how they much they were drifting apart since Mal and her became closer as friends, she couldn't blame him.

"So, it's over?" Jay asked.

"None of us have magic. We outnumber them. So, pretty much," Carlos answered.

Ben brushed the dust off his jacket as he approached the two Hook siblings. Harry stepped in front of CJ, shielding her from the King. Even though CJ doesn't need protection, she admires her brother for looking out for her.

"It's over," said Ben. "Come with us and we'll talk through this. I know you all just want freedom for yourselves and for your peers, but this doesn't have to end in violence. We can settle this in more peaceful matters. A parley, as pirates would say."

"Harry, I think it's time we bring home some damaged goods," said CJ.

Harry draws his sword, preparing to fight the King. Just as Ben was about to draw his sword, a roar was heard from the sky. Everyone looks up to see a dragon hovering above them and staring down at them. But it wasn't just any dragon. It was a purple dragon.

"That's Mal!" Evie exclaimed.

"How did she get out of the castle?" Jay wondered.

The dragon roars again as it breaths fire, setting the forest in flames. Inhabitants of Neverland ran for their lives as the fires spread throughout the forest.

"Mal! Stop!" Evie yelled.

As if she heard Evie, Mal stopped. She descends lower and lower, until it hit the anti-magic field generated by Carlos' device. Mal transforms back in her human form, but is now in free fall. Ben was about to catch her, but Mal manages to slow down her with her magic. She lands softly on her feet, much to everyone's relief.

"You look terrible," Uma said.

"And you smell terrible," Mal retorted, still sounding emotionless as she did before.

Uma rolls her eyes in response.

"Mal, how did you get here?" Ben asked.

Ben's phone beeps, meaning that he received a message. It was from Fairy God Mother. It says: _"Mal escaped. Left a 'mess' on her way out."_

"Oh, you do not want to know what kind of mess I left," said Mal, knowing what kind of _mess_ Fairy God Mother was referring to. "I think it's best if you just see for yourself."

"Mal, you just burned a forest full of innocent people," Evie pointed out.

Mal responds with her trademark smirk.

"And you're proud of it?" Evie questioned, shocked by this kind of behavior.

"My friend, it's official. You've lost your mind," said Jay.

"Isn't that why you all locked me up like some rabid animal?" Mal retorted.

Ben hanged his head in shame, feeling guilt for how she is feeling right now. "Look, Mal..."

"Save it," Mal interrupted, holding up her finger in front of his face. "You betrayed my trust. All of you. I finally have the will to end this war, yet you people treat me like a wild dog who needs to be put on a leash."

"Uh, we already have a wild dog," said Jay.

"Dude is not wild," said Carlos.

"I was talking about you," said Jay.

Mal was both annoyed and amused by the boys' bickering.

"Mal, this isn't funny," said Evie. "You have to put out those fires. People could die."

"Should I care?" Mal asked nonchalantly.

Everyone was becoming even more horrified by Mal's new personality. What happened while she was gone? She drowned for sure, yes, but how does that experience turn someone so cold and unfeeling?

"Mal, this is not who you are," said Ben. "The woman that I love flirts with the dark side, but she always had a good heart."

"Still trying to see the good side in me?" Mal asked.

"I don't need to try. I've always seen it," said Ben, leaning closer.

"Kiss me, you're gonna lose your lips," Mal threatened.

"I'll take that chance if it means seeing who you really are," said Ben.

Ben pulls Mal closer for a kiss. The feeling of Mal kissing him back gave Ben hope. When he felt her hand touch his cheek, he was becoming more hopeful. After the kiss, he smiled at her. Mal, however, remained as stoic as ever.

"I hope you enjoyed that," she said. "Because that's the last time we'll be doing that."

Mal turns her back on Ben and walks away from him. Ben grabs her hand, trying to persuade her into talking to him. Mal reacts by swatting his hand off hers, and in doing so, unleashed fire that nearly burned Lonnie and Freddie, both who managed to jump out of the way.

"Mal, why are you doing this?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, Malsy. Why are you doing this?" CJ asked, intrigued.

"You really want to know why?" Mal smirked.

Mal begins walking towards the fire that she recently created. It really thrills her to perform such magic. _So dangerous, yet so beautiful_ , she thought. She touches it. Her hand catches on fire, but she wasn't burned. She just stared it with a look that disturbs everyone who can see it.

 **Mal**

 _Everybody see my sunny  
Everybody see my shine  
But they don't know my story  
They don't know what's on my mind_

 _I carry on like a princess  
But, man, I've got 'em fooled  
'Cause underneath my business  
I am cold, I'm hard, I'm cruel_

Mal creates more fire, causing her friends to jump out of the way. Mal manipulates the fire so it would spread, causing Lost Boys and fairies nearby to run deeper into the forest for safety.

 _Never gonna put a spell on me  
Never ever gonna bring me back  
Never gonna make me be somethin' I'm not_

 _Because I'm evil  
Tell the people  
I'm evil  
Open you eyes  
I'm all a disguise_

Evie, Jay, and Carlos run towards their friend, but they stop when she unleashed a fireball that created a wall of flames that separated them. This puzzles Carlos. How was she doing magic when his device was turned on?

 _Everybody in my circle  
Think I'm gonna be different  
But I got bad intentions  
And I'm gonna have 'em again_

 _So why should I stop the dissin'?  
Or soften up my heart?  
Tell me what good is livin'  
If you can't be who you are? Yeah_

 _Never gonna put a spell on me  
Never ever gonna bring me back  
Never gonna make me be somethin' I'm not_

 _Because I'm evil  
Tell the people  
I'm evil  
Open you eyes  
I'm all a disguise_

Lonnie attempted to sneak up on Mal, but she felt her presence and turns around. Lonnie manages to dock Mal's high kick, but her own kick gets blocked. Mal snaps her fingers in front of Lonnie's face and unleashes a magical spark that knocks her away.

After finding a way around the wall of fire, Carlos activates his new and upgraded bioelectric sphere and throws it at Mal. Mal catches it without even looking and crushes it in her hand. Some of its electricity was released, but she was unaffected.

Jay grabs Mal's arms to keep her still while Evie attempts to spray her with her sleeping perfume. Mal hits Jay in the face with a reverse headbutt and uses Evie's perfume against her, putting the blue-haired narcissist to sleep.

Freddie, for some reason, decides to throw her playing cards at Mal, but she burns them all with a simple fireball.

Uma attempts to use her necklace's magic and tries to cast an immobilizing spell on Mal, only to remember that Carlos' anti-magic device was cutting off all magic. Mal nonchalantly throws a fireball at Uma as if it was like throwing a piece of paper into the garbage.

 _I'm gonna find some trouble, trouble  
I'm gonna make some trouble  
I'm gonna find some trouble  
_

 _Never gonna put a spell on me  
Never ever gonna bring me back  
Never gonna make me be somethin' I'm not_

 _Because I'm evil  
Tell the people, hey  
I'm evil  
Yeah, yeah  
So evil  
Open you eyes  
I'm all a disguise  
Yeah, yeah  
_

 _Oh, no_

Mal creates more fire, causing everyone to stand back. Ben refuses to keep his distance and walks towards Mal, but was stopped by a fireball that landed near his feet.

"Now, just one last thing," said Mal.

Mal rips Carlos' device off the metal pole and burns it into ash. Without the anti-magic field, her fires grew bigger, striking more fear into the hearts of her friends and family. Mal took the time to stare at the flames she created. To think, she always had the power to do this, but always restrained herself due to fear of being feared. Just watching the flames roar and feeling the heat against her skin was giving her so much life that she never wanted to look away.

"Well, well, well. Looks like someone's finally waking up," said CJ, impressed.

Reluctantly, Mal looks away from the fire and faces CJ.

"I have you to thank for that," said Mal.

"Is that a sincere thank you or a sarcastic thank you?" CJ asked. "I can't really tell. You sound... dead. Pardon the pun."

"You wanted me to see the truth. Well, I have," said Mal, facing the fire again. "I'm closer to finding out who I really am. To reach the end of my journey, I have to take a new path. That path is with my own kind."

"Are you asking for an invitation to my crew?" CJ guessed.

"You read my mind, Calista," said Mal. "That is, of course, if you'll have me. I do need to remind that I did kill your magical asset. From what I see, you could use a replacement. Who better than the daughter of Maleficent herself?"

"I'm assuming this comes at price, such as my title as captain?" CJ asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You can keep that position, pirate," said Mal. "All I ask for is aid in my journey of self-discovery."

CJ was enjoying this. Besides world domination, she wanted to convince Mal that she was still a villain. It would seem that she succeeded in doing so. She couldn't afford to turn down the opportunity to invite the purple-haired sorceress to her ranks, especially since the crew desperately needs a replacement for Mad Maddy. CJ expresses her approval by extending her arm forward, waiting for Mal to take her hand.

Mal shakes CJ's hand as the two exchanged villainous smirks.

"Mal, what are you doing?" Uma asked out loud.

"Joining the winning team," Mal answered. "Maybe you should do the same thing. You don't belong with them any more than I did."

"No, this wasn't part of the deal," said Uma.

"Suit yourself," said Mal.

Mal unleashes a blast of dark magic on Uma, who tried to block it with her sword, to no avail. Uma lies unconscious next to the fire, threatening to roast her.

"Harry! Gil! Zevon! Ginny! It's time to go! It's time for throw a welcome party for our new crew member," said CJ.

The rest of CJ's crew reunited with their captain and their new crew mate.

"Mal!" Ben shouted.

Mal can see the look on Ben's face. He was begging for her to come back to him. For a moment, she felt the need to run into his arms, but the glow in her eyes make her appear unswayed by Ben's charm. She blows a kiss and teasingly winks at him. Zevon uses his vanishing potion to transport the crew back to their ship.

Ben couldn't believe this was happening. It was just a few days ago that he and Mal were excited to get married. Now, she becomes a different person who chooses evil over love. How could death have possibly changed her like this? Will he be able to get her back? Will she be the same Mal he knows and love?"

Ben chooses to find the answers later as he and his friends search Neverland for survivors, as the fires continued to rage on. From a bird's eye view, the fire created by Mal spelled a message. A message that would only confirm to her friends and family that she is dead serious about her choice. The message was...

LONG  
LIVE  
EVIL!

 **Mal is evil once again... and is now part of CJ's villain kid crew? *Cue the gasps of terror***

 **I know that other stories have attempt this before, but every single one of us prefer to do it our own way. This isn't your simple "Mal becomes evil" storyline. If you've been following the story carefully, you'll see that I'm trying to take a more complex approach in Mal's transition back to evil. She may be evil now, but the world is not all black and white. You can see that, right?**

 **So, what do you think?**

 **"Evil" by Dove Cameron**


	21. Grudges

**I'm sure plenty of you are hoping for Mal to be a good girl again. You can keep your hopes up, but it will take a while before this story swims up and away from the dark waters. Trust me, this is more than your typical hero-turns-villain story. Don't sleep on me just yet.**

 **Oh, and I thought I would let you know that I'm using the "flashback" element staring from here. Each flashback will further shed light on a specific something, such as my take on the history between Mal and CJ. Their rivalry is a key element in this story, so it deserves some exploring besides their present-day conflict that mostly involves sword fighting and playfully hateful banter.**

 **Happy reading.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheGreatGodzilla, top story, Quartz Rider, Mustang52**

 _Two years ago..._

 _A big fire occurs at Ursula's Fish and Chips Shop. The customers all ran out of the door, some of them on fire and trying to find the nearest sources of water to douse the flames. The last customer walked instead of ran out of the shop. It was the fifteen-year-old daughter of Maleficent, Mal. She munched on a fry as she stared at the fires inside for a few more seconds._

 _"I'll get you for this, Mal!"_

 _The shout came from her rival, the daughter of Ursula named Uma. Mal loved messing with her the most, despite the fact that they used to be partners in crime. After shooting a teasing wink at Uma, the purple-haired teenager left to spread more chaos on the Isle. Just seeing everyone back away as she walks down the streets made her feel powerful. She is, however, secretly bothered by the fact that they're mostly scared of her because of who her mother is._

 _On her way to Hook's Inlet, someone decided to make a surprise landing via swinging from a rope. The only person on the Isle with that habit was the youngest daughter, as well as the youngest child of Captain Hook. Calista Jane Hook, or CJ as she prefers._

 _"Hey, Malsy," CJ greeted._

 _"Hey," Mal greeted her with a deadpan tone, not pleased to see the blonde pirate._

 _"I saw what happened back there at the chip shop. I was just about to swing my way down when the big boom happened, and may I say that I enjoyed the show," said CJ. "You really have such a passion for fire, huh? I guess being the daughter of a villain who turns into a dragon does that to you."_

 _"What do you want, CJ?" Mal asked._

 _"Simple request. I want to hang with you and your crew," said CJ._

 _"Really?" Mal raised an eyebrow._

 _"Oh, trust me, Malsy. I got the goods to roll with the best," said CJ. "I'm a Top 5 student at Serpent Prep. I'm unpredictable. I've never gotten my comeuppance. Best of all, I can make a dramatic entrance."_

 _"I admit. You have a pretty solid reputation," said Mal. "But there's just one problem. You have this obsession with being in charge."_

 _"I'm sure you won't mind a co-captain," said CJ. "I can keep that scurvy bunch you call a crew under control."_

 _"Are you assuming that I can't control my own gang on my own?" Mal accused._

 _"I'm just saying that you could you some extra leadership," said CJ._

 _Mal grimaces at her, and CJ knew what she was trying to tell her._

 _"Okay, so I never actually led a crew before... or had a crew before," CJ said ashamedly. "But trust me. Being around Harry and Harriett has helped me prepare to be a captain... co-captain, I meant."_

 _"Well, I do appreciate someone with so much zeal," Mal said, hiding her bitterness with sweetness. "However..."_

 _Suddenly, Mal grabs CJ by the collar and holds her near the edge of the docks, threatening to drop her into the waters where the baby crocodiles descended from the infamous Tick-Tock swam. If the look on CJ's face didn't show that she was scared, it would be her rapid breathing._

 _"You didn't think I'd find out it was you who stole my necklace, did you?" Mal said, softly but angrily._

 _Not so long ago, Mal's necklace, which was a rusty gold one shaped like a dragon, was stolen while she was sleeping. She had searched for weeks, interrogating everyone from teenager to child, flipping over every table until she can find, to no avail. One day, she just happened to find it in a rat's hole in Bargain Castle._

 _"I don't know what you're talking about," CJ lied._

 _"When you left it at my home, you didn't think to check if you haven't left any blue sludge on it," said Mal. "And I seem to remember hearing about a certain daughter of Captain Hook happened to find a secret cave filled with sludge of that very color."_

 _CJ laughed nervously, realizing her error. Mal smirked at the sight of fear on the pirate's face._

 _"Throw in the fact that you sabotage me at the Summer Evil Games every year since I was 9, you have crossed me more times than anyone on this island," said Mal. "How do I know that you're not conspiring to usurp my place as queen of this island by joining my gang?"_

 _"I'm not, I swear," said CJ out of fear._

 _"Rhetorical question, genius," Mal said. "Now, you're probably going to beg for you life by mentioning your family, but based on your history, I doubt Harry and Harriet will care when they hear that you've been eaten by crocodiles."_

 _Mal lets go of CJ's collar, causing her to fall off the plank and into the waters. As soon as she made the splash, Tick-Tock's babies swam towards her, trying to take a bite out of her. Mal watches CJ struggle to stay away from the baby reptiles with an evil smile on her face. As much as she would love to watch the crocodiles tear her apart, she decides that she has better things to do and walks away, leaving her secret rival to die._

* * *

When Mal first stepped on board The Lost Pearl, she was both amazed and appalled. She was appalled because the ship looked terrible, despite the clean deck and replaced wood. She was amazed because of how CJ managed to hide it from her. Now that she was on board the ship, she could feel the magic around it and ascertained that it was meant to cloud the ship from the human eye and any magical spell, hence why she couldn't see it before and why Evie's mirror had trouble finding it.

While Mal stares at the sunset in the horizon, CJ and her crew have a discussion in the captain's quarters.

"Weird seeing her alive, huh?" Gil commented, still confused as to how Mal is still living and breathing.

"Considering death is supposed to be permanent, definitely," Harry replied.

"I don't trust her," said Ginny.

"What if this is just a trick?" Zevon wondered.

"She just decimated an island filled with innocents. How is that not convincing for you?" Harry asked.

"She said she wants to join us," Gil reminded. "What's so suspicious about that?"

"You're a bigger idiot than I thought," said Ginny, smacking Gil upside the head.

"Hey, that's my job," said Harry.

"Okay, everyone just shut your mouths for a second," CJ ordered.

Everyone obeyed, except for Zevon.

"But, CJ..."

"It's _captain_ ," CJ corrected him.

"Captain," said Zevon sarcastically. "How can you be sure we can trust her?"

"I don't trust her," said CJ. "But my brother has a point. Mal burned down a forest full of innocent people, the very innocent people she swore to protect. I admit, I'm still cautious with her, but I'm willing to give her a chance."

"Why are you so nonchalant about this?" Ginny asked.

"Because it's what she wanted," Harry explained.

CJ nodded, much to the surprise of her crew, minus Harry since he already knew.

"The hostages at Belle Harbor. Kidnapping Dizzy. All that was to make her crack?" Ginny asked.

"I'm confident in our victory, but just in case we fail, _just_ in case, we need a contingency. That contingency is Mal," said CJ.

"She either takes over Auradon for us or helps us take over," Zevon realized.

"Keep in mind, I'm still testing her loyalty to our cause," said CJ. "Which means I'm keeping her out of the loop of our endgame."

"Much like us?" Ginny questioned, crossing her arms.

"I can't afford any of you scallywags telling her," said CJ.

"Telling me what?"

The villain kids were all startled when they heard the sound of Mal's voice. She was leaning by the doorway, holding a mug filled with cider.

"I gotta say. You guys have good taste," said Mal, drinking from the mug.

"Well, we know how much you love your cider, Malsy," said CJ.

"I should know," said Harry, staring at the purple-haired sorceress.

After drinking the last drop, Mal throws the mug away as she walked into the room. She took a moment to study everyone's faces. Zevon was trying to resist looking at her flirtatiously by glaring at her. Ginny was looking askance at her. Gil was visibly nervous, probably thinking she looks and acts like zombie. Harry was looking at her up and down, clearly checking her out. CJ was just looking at her with a raised eyebrow, looking suspicious.

"Look, I don't have to eavesdrop to know that you guys don't trust me," said Mal. "And I don't expect you to. Letting me join your crew is all I ask of you."

"And why should we believe that?" Ginny asked.

Mal lights up a small fire in her hand and stares into, slightly discomfiting the others.

"Because all I want is clarity," said Mal. "Being bad is only the first step in discovering who I really am. Regardless whether following my mother's footsteps is my destiny or not, I need walk among my own people to find what I'm looking for. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Mal closes her hand, extinguishing the fire. She closes her eyes as she takes a deep breath, feeling the magic coursing through her blood. When she opens her eyes, she can see how unsettled her new allies are feeling. Although, this time, she meant to make them uncomfortable around her, unlike when she unknowingly made her "friends and family" feel uneasy around her because of her post-death behavior.

"I'm sorry. Am I scaring you?" Mal teased them.

"Kind of," Gil answered.

Harry and Ginny both hit Gil behind his head simultaneously.

"You may not want our trust, Malsy, but you need it if you want to stay on this ship," said CJ. "You have to prove to us that you're really back on the side of evil."

"The Neverland fires aren't enough, huh?" Mal replied, smirking. "If you have a challenge for me, bring it on."

CJ had always admired Mal's determination. Apparently, there are a few things about her that haven't change, but she was glad for that. She always admired a lot of things about Mal. Her unmatched determination being one of them.

"Harry, turn this boat to the nearest uncharted island," CJ ordered. "Malsy and I need to have a chat alone."

Harry walks out of the captain's quarters to man the wheel, but not before shooting Mal a coquettish grin and running his hook through her purple locks in a smooth, flirtatious manner. Mal remained as stoic as ever, seemingly uncaring of his actions.

* * *

Harry steers The Lost Pearl to a nearby uncharted island. While the ship rests by the beach, Mal and CJ walk to a spot far away from the ship. CJ sits down on a large boulder as she places a hand on her right leg. Underneath the stocking was a bite mark. A bite mark from a baby crocodile. While CJ had survived her encounter with Tick-Tock's babies, she didn't escape the waters unscathed.

"Still gives you nightmares, huh?" Mal guessed.

"Well, the Hook family aren't famous for being brave against those green reptiles," said CJ.

"Admitting your fears, huh? You have changed," Mal replied.

"We both have," said CJ.

"Tell me something, CJ," said Mal. "You had the remote to the barrier. You could've freed every villain and villain kid from the Isle of the Lost. Yet, you just released your brother, a muscle-bound idiot, a girl who's never heard of hair conditioner, an egomaniac who can't even pronounce the word _diabolical_ , and a witch whose hair smells just as bad as Uma's."

"Quality over quantity," CJ said.

"I know that," Mal interrupted. "I get why you chose them, except for Harry. I get that you two had some sibling spark back on the Isle, but you two still hated each other... in a way. Why him? Even if you want to form a bond with your family, why not bring Harriet along?"

CJ reaches for her hook and looks at it, thinking about the person who hid it from her for years. That person was her brother, whom she's been getting closer to since the start of their mission to take over Auradon.

"Let me ask you a question, Malsy," said CJ. "Have you ever wondered why Harry and I went to school at Serpent Prep, away from our sister?"

"Harry's reason is pretty obvious. Uma," said Mal.

"True, but that was only part of it. The reason he and I went to a different school is because we wanted to stay away from Harriet," said CJ.

"I know you three don't exactly get along, but I'm sensing something here than just sibling rivalry," said Mal.

"Harriet is the eldest. Harry was born next. I was born last. As kids, we all fought for Dad's approval," said CJ. "Harriet has been the winner for a really long time. Dad was always proud of her... to an extent. She was the only one of us to form her own crew of dastardly pirates. Harry, meanwhile, was busy playing first mate to Uma. Me, well, I was hoping there were places worth exploring on the Isle. I was wrong. Dad considered me and Harry both disappointments."

"Yeah, I get the feeling," said Mal.

"But despite that our rough history, he and I still cared for each other, in our own way," said CJ. "While Harriet was bossing us around as if she was our captain, Harry would look after me. Maybe not all the time, but he was someone I was proud to call my brother."

"I'm surprised to see this side of you," said Mal.

"Me, too," said CJ. "But for some reason, I don't care. Harry and I have been getting pretty close and... I like the feeling. Knowing that I can count on him and he can count on me, well, you know what's that like."

"I bet he would love to hear that," Mal teased.

CJ jumps off the rock and glares at Mal from up-close. "Tell anyone about this and you're going back to the bottom of the ocean."

"Ooh, I'm so scared," Mal said sarcastically. "But you couldn't kill me if you wanted to. Trust me."

"So, why don't you tell me your story?" CJ asked. "How did you survive? I left a pretty nasty mark on you and I'm pretty sure you were gonna let yourself drown."

Mal turns around and stares at the sunset again. "To be honest, I have no idea what happened. It just felt like I was waking up for the first time, like I was born again. All the darkness inside me, it was like the first time I've ever felt it. Everything just became so clear, and I was beginning to understand who I am and I what I want to do."

"Well, I'm glad you finally opened your eyes," said CJ. "With you on our side, Auradon doesn't stand a chance."

"I know," said Mal. "Ben. My old friends. They'll be too blinded by love to do what needs to be done. They'll try to take me back to the good side. Their foolish attempts will be their downfall."

"Then this'll be easier than I first though," said CJ.

"Just one thing, though," said Mal, looking back at CJ. "Your necklace."

CJ appeared shocked to hear this. When Mal crossed her arms and glared at her, the pirate decided to show the sorceress what she wanted to see. She reaches into her blouse and pulls out a necklace with a red gem on it. It was glowing like magic.

"I thought I sensed magic on you," said Mal. "At first, I thought it was just Zevon's potions that you carry around. But now, my magic is stronger than before and I finally see the truth. Besides, I've been wondering how you and your buddies managed to kidnap Uma and keep her from throwing all of you into the ocean. Your necklace gives you immunity to magic."

"Except from yours, apparently," said CJ. "How are you able to sense something magical that's designed to block magic?"

"Dark magic powered by dragon's blood is the most powerful magic in existence," said Mal. "Thanks to my miraculous resurrection, I am already powerful enough to penetrate the necklace's defenses."

"You've grown powerful, indeed," said CJ. "It's pretty scary, though. Your magic being able to counter magic intended to nullify magic, oh, not even Fairy God Mother can stop you."

"She locked me in a barrier recently, and I got out," said Mal, taking pleasure in revisiting that memory. "I have you to thank, though. Your hand at my rebirth has not only cleared my mind of fear and doubt but also made me even more powerful than I ever imagined."

"Be warned, though. We're still keeping an eye on you," said CJ.

"I can't blame you. I'd be the same if I were in your position," said Mal. "So, captain, what's next on our agenda?"

"We'll discuss this back on the ship," said CJ. "Although, I'm suspecting you already have a plan of you own."

"My plan will benefit our cause in two ways," said Mal. "I get to earn your trust, and we keep our enemies looking at the wrong direction."

"What do you have in mind?" CJ asked.

"If you want the answer, you have to take me back to Auradon," said Mal, smirking deviously.

 **Uh-oh! This doesn't look good. Mal is up to something bad. What do you think it is? Well, I'll leave you to guess until you get the answer in the next chapter.**

 **I hope this chapter has satisfied your curiosity on Mal and CJ's secret history.**


	22. Fallout

**I know everyone is wishing for Mal to be the good girl we all know and love again, but (and I'm not spoiling anything) you may want to hold your breath until the final chapter, metaphorically speaking. Sorry if this sounds rude, but it's just most reviews since Chapter 18 say practically the same thing. As good as it is for all of you to hope for the good girl Mal to return, it just gets a bit irritating to hear it from you all the time. Again, I'm sorry if I sounded rude. I just wish there was something else for all of you too look forward to other than Mal's transition back to good.**

 **Anyways, enjoy.**

 **By the way, I have a question at the end of the chapter. I would appreciate it very much if you answered it, via PM or review, though the latter would be more appreciated. First, you have to read the chapter to understand the question.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, top story, Quartz Rider, TheGreatGodzilla**

 _Four months ago..._

 _Evie was pacing back and forth in her dorm, drawing on one of Mal's sketch pads. Despite the knowledge that the purple-haired sorceress will be furious that she used her stuff without permission, Evie was too pressured to think about that right now. Her momentum was interrupted by the opening of the door. Carlos De Vil stood there looking at her worriedly._

 _"Hey," he greeted her carefully._

 _"I can't talk right now, Carlos," said Evie._

 _"Why not?" asked Carlos._

 _"Because I have so much to do right now, and I have so little time to get everything finished," said Evie rapidly, clearly stressed.  
_

 _"Okay, calm down," said Carlos, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now, just breathe."_

 _Evie did just as he told her, except she was breathing heavily, which was another sign of stress. Carlos takes the sketch pad away from her and pats her on the back, but she was still stress-breathing, if there's such a term. He grabs her shoulders and shakes her, if gently, but it didn't work either. Evie was still breathing like a stressed workaholic. Running out of options, Carlos puts his headphones next to her ear and plays the song, "Count on Me."_

 _Evie stopped hyperventilating and relaxed as she listened to the music. Carlos stays close to her as he places his ear close to the headphones so he can listen to the music too. They started humming the song in unison. After the song was finished, Carlos looks at Evie's smiling face._

 _"I always loved that song," said Evie. "It teaches you that you can lean on your friends no matter how difficult the challenge you face is."_

 _"Then you know what to do now," said Carlos. "Tell me what's wrong, and let me help. You can count on me."_

 _Evie puts on a straight face as she begins. "Well, first of all, Auradon's Valentine's Day party is coming and I'm having trouble figuring out the perfect design for Mal's dress. Second, I have a report in chemistry that I haven't. And finally, I have to write a 500-word essay for History of Woodsmen and Pirates. The worst part is that all these are due in two days."_

 _"Wow," Carlos reacted._

 _"Help me," Evie begged, grabbing Carlos' shirt collar and shaking him._

 _"Okay, first of all, let me go," said Carlos._

 _Evie lets go of Carlos._

 _"Second, I have suggestions that could put an end to your predicament," said Carlos. "For Mal's dress, instead of hearts and angel wings, which I'm completely sure she'll hate, try being subtle with the Valentine's theme on her dress. Don't make it too cheesy or over-the-top. Be subtle. For your report, I can write you an algorithm that will help you search for the best sources you can use for your report based on the requirements. For your essay, write a short draft that will inspire your final copy."_

 _"Hmm, okay," Evie agreed. "But how am I supposed to do all of these in two days?"_

 _Carlos thinks. "Finish the sketch of dress design tonight. Start your draft before school tomorrow morning. Do your research during recess and lunch. Ask Dizzy to help you with the dress after school to hasten the process. Let Dizzy handle a few things with the dress while you prepare your report. Finish the dress early and you might just be able to finalize your essay."_

 _"Carlos De Vil, you are such a genius," said Evie, giving him a hug. "You're a true friend."_

 _"Well, what are friends for?" Carlos replied._

 _"I don't know what I'd do without you," said Evie._

 _"You've been doing fine these past four months and you never needed me," said Carlos._

 _"Hey, not true," said Evie. "No matter what, I can always count on you, as you can always count on me. We're best friends, Carlos, and that's what we do. I have your back, and you have mine. Always and forever."_

 _"Always and forever," Carlos repeated with a smile._

* * *

When the stars twinkle in the sky, any person in Auradon can feel that their evening is gonna be wonderful. However, not even the shining stars in the night sky can liven up the spirits of King Ben and his friends, both kids from Auradon and kids from the Isle of the Lost. The fires set in Neverland did more than just burn down trees and flowers. It became a painful reminder to the teenagers that the daughter of Maleficent, Mal, has chosen to live up to her title.

The former king and queen of Auradon, Beast and Belle, found their son and his friends moping in the castle's conference room.

"What's the damage?" Beast asked.

Belle slaps her husband in the back for asking such a question, considering they both knew what happened in Neverland and their son was in the middle of it.

"25 dead. Over a hundred in need of serious medical attention," Ben answered very sadly.

Belle gasped in horror while Beast hangs his head, having regretted asking the question.

"Where's Dizzy?" Evie asked the former queen.

"Chad took her to the arcade," Belle answered.

"Well, call him and tell him to take Dizzy to Cinderellasburg," said Evie. "It's not safe for her to be here anymore, not with Mal... you know."

"I'll call them then," said Belle, leaving the room to phone Dizzy.

"I still can't believe this," said Jay. "I get that dying and then coming back to life is a weird experience, but did it have to turn Mal evil?"

"Don't forget. We locked her up in the library against her will," Carlos reminded.

"Yeah, probably not one of our best ideas," Jay admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"To be fair, you didn't ask for my vote. I'm hurt," said Freddie sarcastically.

"Because we knew you were enjoying this new side of her. The look on her face when she came back, it was the same face you made when Jay stole a magic carpet for us," said Evie.

"Hey, she did make a compelling argument," said Freddie. "How can we stop CJ if we don't give it everything we got?"

"You're starting to sound like Uma," said Evie.

"Well, I just recently discovered she and I aren't so different," said Freddie. "We're both still unsure about this whole hero stuff."

"Speaking of Uma, where is she?" Beast asked.

"Last I saw her, she was leaving Auradon Prep. Apparently, she wanted to get away from us... just for the night, I hope," said Jane.

"I don't know. She looked pretty mad," said Lonnie. "Mal did go against her promise by joining CJ."

"Betrayal. It's the easiest way to destroy a bond," Doug added.

"We lost Mal and someone who, even I have to admit, could've turned the tables in our favor," said Evie, her nerves tensing as she thought about the one person to blame. "All because of CJ."

"CJ may have killed Mal, in a way, but we were the ones who pushed her over the edge," said Carlos.

"Are you saying this is our fault?" Evie accused him.

"Despite the change in personality that came with her miraculous resurrection, she was still on our side," said Carlos. "By betraying her trust, we motivated her into betraying our trust. All CJ did was unintentionally change her perspective on life, while we were the ones who added fuel to the fire. The fire that had burned down almost half of Neverland."

"How can you say that?" Evie was beginning to feel offended. "I didn't want to do it, but she left me no choice. Her spell book. Uma. Her disregard for consequences. I had to do something about it."

"I'm just surprised that you, her best friend, would lock her up like an animal," said Carlos.

"Oh, so you're taking her side?" Evie questioned him.

Everyone in the room was silent and remained that way as the conversation between Carlos and Evie heated. Unfortunately, it was no longer a conversation. It was an argument, and that's what scared everyone.

"I'm not taking her side. I'm just saying that what we did was wrong," said Carlos.

"If I recall correctly, you agreed to it," said Evie.

"Because you and Ben and Jay did," said Carlos, raising his voice. "I saw her, Evie. I looked into her eyes and saw how she felt. She didn't just feel betrayed. She was confused and scared. She couldn't understand why we, her family would do this to her, and it scared her to think that we've lost faith in her."

"You think that I've lost faith in her?" Evie accused again.

"Well, asking Fairy God Mother to make her relive the feeling of imprisonment she had back on the Isle says something," Carlos replied.

"Says what?" Evie asked, sounding aggravated.

"That you care more about your image than your best friend," said Carlos.

Those words rewarded Carlos with a slap across the face from Evie. Everyone's eyes widened with shock. They did not expect this kind of response from Evie, especially considering she was the most passionate from the first four VKs who came to Auradon.

Carlos turns his face and looks at Evie. She was hurt and angry. Her eyes were sparkling because tears were about to come out from them. Not wanting anyone to see her break down emotionally, Evie marches out of the door, startling Belle along the way, who had just finished telling Chad to take Dizzy to his home for protection.

"I heard shouting, but what was that about?" Belle asked.

No one answered.

* * *

Later that evening, Jane decided to talk to Carlos, who stormed out of the conference room a few minutes after Evie did. She found him at the gardens outside Auradon Prep. As if by coincidence, he was pacing around at the exact same spot where he asked her to be his date for the Royal Cotillion. The memory would make her smile if Carlos didn't look so glum right now.

"Hey," Jane greeted him with a smile.

"Hey," Carlos greeted her, however, without a smile.

"So, um, that was one big fight back there," Jane said, not knowing what to say first.

"That never happened between us before," said Carlos. "I never should've questioned how much she cares about Mal. I don't think I'm gonna be able to earn her forgiveness."

"If you ask me, it's her who needs forgiveness, not you," said Jane.

"I know you're trying to make me feel better, Jane, but using a false truth isn't helping," said Carlos.

"Well, I'm sure she can't be mad at you forever," said Jane. "From what I've seen, you two are very close."

"Evie's like the big sister I never had," said Carlos. "She and I, we always agreed with each other. No matter what, she would have my back and I would have hers."

"Well, brothers and sisters fight sometimes," said Jane positively.

"I don't even know why it happened," said Carlos. "I said something that I know should've been kept in mind and not spoken."

"Sometimes, we can't help but say things that need to be said even thought we prefer not to say them," said Jane. "I should know because, well, everyone does call me a blabber mouth."

Carlos chuckles, feeling amused. He was bold enough to admit that he agreed with what people call Jane, but only because that's one of the reasons why he loves her.

Jane holds Carlos' hands and says, "What I've learned from you, your friends, Ben, and my mom is that patience solves a lot of things. Evie will forgive you, I know that. It's not just because I'm trying to be positive but also because you're Carlos De Vil."

"Meaning?" Carlos asked, confused.

"It means that you will get through this," said Jane confidently. "I mean, you had a hard time asking me out, right? But you never gave up. You kept on trying until you succeeded. It's one of the things I love about you."

Carlos was surprised and happy at the same time. This was the first time he has heard Jane use the word "love." Their relationship has certainly risen to a new level, and the thought of it was making him feel better. Despite his recent altercation with one of his best friends, he had his girlfriend by his side to help him smile. What would be without her?

"I love you," said Carlos.

Jane smiled as she gave her boyfriend a big hug. Carlos puts his arms around her, accepting the comfort. After the hug, Jane gives Carlos a kiss on the cheek, making him to blush, which made her blush.

* * *

Carlos returns to his dorm for an early goodnight sleep, per Jane's advice. He sees Dude asleep on his bed. He smiles as he pets him gently, trying not to wake him up. His smile, however, drops when he saw something on his pillow. It was Evie's ring. The ring that he made for her back on the Isle of the Lost. He slowly reaches for it and picks it up. As he looks at it up-close, a tear falls down from his eye, fearing that Evie was sending him the message he thinks she just sent.

"So sad, isn't it?"

Carlos jumped with shock as he turned around to see someone he didn't expect to see. It was Mal, just leaning by the bathroom doorway and holding a small fire on top of her finger. She looked at him with a smirk that would scare almost all the inhabitants on the Isle of the Lost.

"Poor Evie doesn't want to be friends with you anymore," Mal teased.

"This can't be," said Carlos, refusing to believe her.

"Oh, but it is," said Mal. "I saw her come here earlier, crying her eyes out, staring at that beautiful ring you gave to her as a gift. Oh, and the look on her face when she took it off, priceless. She gave it a little kiss and said, _I'm sorry, Carlos_."

Carlos immediately takes out his phone to warn his friends. With a wave of her hand, Mal sends the phone flying off his hands and slams it to the wall, destroying it. Carlos was about to run out the door, but Mal closes it with just a wave of her finger, trapping Carlos in his own dorm with her.

"I'm sorry, but I can't afford anyone walking in on our little private discussion," said Mal.

"About what?" Carlos asked.

"For starters, you and Jane sure make one hell of a couple," said Mal, toying with Carlos' hair. "I must admit, I was so stupefied and confounded when you told me that you wanted ask her out to the Cotillion. She just seemed so... Jane. I realize now that's why you love her so much. You two are so perfect for each other."

Mal lightly slaps Carlos on the cheek a few times.

"Whatever you want to do to me, go ahead," Carlos said bravely. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."

"Ooh, you've grown even more than I thought," Mal complimented him, if stoically. "I'm proud of you."

Carlos didn't say a word. He just looked at Mal with an expression that tells her than he's not scared. Mal was both impressed and annoyed by this. She had hoped to give him a little scare, but she was admiring this newfound bravery in him.

"Well, let's just see how brave you really are," said Mal.

Mal pulls Carlos closer so he can look at her glowing green eyes very closely. Carlos tried to fight back, tried to stay brave, but the longer he stared into her eyes, the weaker he felt. Mal then flicks him in the forehead, sending him into a deep sleep.

"Oh, we're gonna have so much fun together," said Mal sadistically.

Mal teleports herself out of Auradon Prep, along with Carlos. The scent of her magic reached Dude's nose, waking him up.

"What just happened?" Dude wondered.

 **This is getting a lot worse, isn't it?**

 **Why Mal kidnapped Carlos, you'll have to find out in future chapters.**

 **Oh, and if you do leave a review, I want to ask you something. It's about Evie and Carlos' argument. Who do you think was right? Carlos or Evie? Or were they both right? I would appreciate it very much if you shared your thoughts about it. I know the fight was heartbreaking, but this is more than just a story about Mal becoming evil. There's plenty of room for conflict outside of the main plot.**

 **I thought the fight between the two friends contrasts well with the flashback, which further explored how close they are as friends. I was hoping it would give you the sense of how much they care about each other in order to really feel the impact of reading them argue with each other. These flashbacks are no mere fillers. They explore relationships and other things related to the present-day plot.**


	23. Making a Tough Choice

**What will happen to Carlos? Well, you'll get part of the answer right here.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, 61394, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, Guest43, TheGreatGodzilla, CarvieCamfia, Quartz Rider, mekuro-K, WinterFreeze MusicGirl, Guest**

 **No. of reviewers who said "Carlos is right": 5**

 **No. of reviewers who said "Evie is right": 0  
**

 **No. of reviewers who said "Both are right": 4**

 ** _To 61394_: I'm not sure if you understood Carlos' part of the argument, but you made one compelling argument yourself, I admit.**

 ** _To Guest43_: Well, let's recap. She died. She came back. She became darker. Her friends locked her up in the library using an anti-magic barrier (like the one around the Isle of the Lost) to keep her from doing something rash. She felt angry. She felt betrayed. Her darkness fed on those feelings. That's all I can say.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: I may be a little annoyed, but it's nothing personal. I just want you to know that while the "stagnation leads to declination" thing may be the hidden message in my story, it's not my focus. It's focusing more on family and trust. But still, I see your point about the stagnation part. The people of Auradon, after all, have lived for 20 years in absolute peace.**

 _Four years ago..._

 _Twelve-year-old Prince Ben was sparring with his father, King Beast. Ever since he was 8, Beast has been teaching him to sword-fight, despite Belle's protests. She agreed to it as long as they use wooden swords, but they sometimes go behind her back and use real swords. Ben remembered how excited he was when he held an actual sword for the first time. He can remember how excited his father was to teach him. They practice three times a week, or if both of them are looking to fill a hole in their schedules (Ben's school schedule and Beast's Kingly schedule)._

 _"Remember, Ben. Never let your enemy predict your moves," said Beast. "You need to be deceptive. Make them think you're doing one thing when you really meant to do another."_

 _Beast was about to strike low and Ben prepared to block it, but left an opening on his left side, allowing Beast to tag him on his left hip._

 _"You lose," said Beast._

 _"I think you see what you meant by being deceptive," said Ben._

 _Belle enters the room, causing both men to hide their swords behind their backs. They tried not to act suspicious, to no avail. Belle puts her hands on her hips, which tips off the boys that she's suspicious._

 _"Show me the swords," Belle ordered._

 _Ben and Beast each remove their hands from behind their backs, showing her that they're using real swords._

 _"Adam!" Belle scolded her husband._

 _Beast tried to smile his way out of the situation, but failed as Belle was still angry at him._

 _"I told you that Ben isn't allowed to use real swords until he's 13," said Belle._

 _"I'll be 13 in three months, mom," said Ben._

 _"Which means you're not allowed to touch a real sword until after your birthday," said Belle. "Now, hand them over."_

 _Ben and Beast both gave their swords to the Queen of Auradon._

 _"Now, how about we do something meaningful and less violent, such as teaching Ben how to sign approvals," said Beast._

 _"Dad says it's boring," said Ben._

 _Belle shoots a scolding look at Beast, who tried to avoid eye contact._

 _"Okay, maybe you're right, but it's vital," said Belle. "You can't just sign the papers without completely understanding what you're approving or declining."_

 _Belle orders the boys to follow her to the office. The two men purposely lagged behind to talk privately._

 _"Just remember what I said, son. In sword-fighting, you have to try to be deceptive," said Beast._

 _"You think I'll ever get to use a sword in a real fight?" asked Ben._

 _"Not with all the villains locked up on the Isle of the Lost," said Beast. "But I'm still trying to talk Fairy God Mother into letting me approve sword-fighting as a sport."_

 _"Well, one of these days, I'm gonna beat you," said Ben._

 _"Of course you will," Beast teased his son._

 _Beast pulls his son closer for an affectionate side hug and gives him a noogie. Ben jumps to give his father a noogie. Belle notices their antics, but chooses not interfere. She loves both them in their own way._

* * *

All Carlos can see was darkness. His eyes were open, he can feel it, but black is the only color he sees. He can feel some kind of coarse fabric covering his face. It was a sack, which was soon removed from his head, allowing him to see. Now, he was wishing that the sack remained on his head, because he wasn't liking what he was seeing. He was sitting down on a wooden chair. His hands are tied up in ropes. He was surrounded by CJ Hook and her dastardly villain kid crew, which now included the woman he called a friend. Mal.

"Welcome to The Lost Pearl, Carlos," said Mal.

"Now, before we start our little chit-chat, let me ask you a question," said CJ. "Did Mal use her infamous stare on you?"

Carlos turns towards Mal, who glared at him with her glowing green eyes. He closes his eyes and turns away with a face that a victim would make when begging his captor to stop torturing him.

"The expression of trauma," CJ read his face. "So, it is true."

"Nasty," Harry commented.

"I have to admit, Mal, I'm quite impressed," said CJ. "Kidnapping one of your closest buddies was pretty bad, but using that evil stare of yours on him, oh, that was evil."

"Hmm," Mal replied disinterestedly, although subtly appearing impressed with herself.

"So, what are we gonna do about puppy lover here?" asked Ginny. "Because I have a few ideas of my own."

"No one will lay a hand on him unless I say so," said Mal. "Remember, he's mine."

Gil gulps nervously and takes a few steps back, remembering what Mal did to his two older brothers when they hurt Carlos without her permission.

"So, why is he here exactly?" Gil asked curiously.

"Malsy told me that Carlos here is just both our insurance and distraction," said CJ.

"Distraction for what?" asked Gil.

"We'll carry out the next step of our plans in secret while Benny and his pals lose their minds looking for our little Snowball here," said CJ.

Unexpectedly, CJ gets pushed towards the wall by a mysterious force. The force wasn't mysterious anymore when everyone turns their heads towards Mal, who had her hand raised and pointing at CJ. Obviously, Mal used her magic. Mal walked towards CJ for a up-close and personal talk.

"Let's get something straight her, captain," said Mal with soft rage. "Only I call him that. If you got a problem with that, I may just sink this ship with its captain on board."

Mal stops using her magic and removes CJ from the wall. While Mal nonchalantly walks away from the captain, CJ puts on an expression that made her look both angered and entertained by Mal's bold decision to challenge the captain. Despite enjoying Mal's rise to villainy, she would prefer if it never happened again.

Gil hides behind Harry as Mal forces Carlos to look at her by turning his face towards her. Mal smirks at him while he fails to put on a courageous face, mainly because Mal's evil stare still traumatized.

"Alright, boys and girls. If you'll follow me back to the deck, we'll discuss the next step of our hostile takeover," said CJ.

The villain kid crew all left the room to discuss their evil plan. Mal stared at Carlos with the scary grin on her face for a few more seconds before following her new allies.

"Mal!"

Mal stopped when Carlos called her name. She turns her head around and looks at him, waiting for him to say what he needs to say.

"I know you're feeling angry and betrayed, and you have every right to be," he said. "I know that you think turning your back on us is a fitting method of enacting revenge. But siding with CJ, you're betraying yourself."

Mal closes the door before walking back to her white-haired hostage. She leans down for an up-close conversation and slowly runs her hand down the sideways-combed part of his hair.

"You're half-right, Snowball," said Mal, sounding as emotionless as ever. "I do hate all of you for what you did, but my idea of revenge for your betrayal, well, it goes further than a simple 180. And as for betraying myself, I prefer to say that I'm finally discovering who I truly am. There is a reason I've changed since my death. It's not because of trauma or confusion. It's enlightenment in its darkest."

"But are you sure this is what you want?" Carlos asked.

"My wants go beyond just being bad, my naive little friend," said Mal. "I am here to find where my journey ends. Think of it as, like, our little trip into the Catacombs of Doom. Finding the entrance is hard enough, but to find the light at the end of the tunnel requires so many challenges. Challenges that test not just your wit but your identity. That's all I want."

"But if all you want is enlightenment, why help those kids take over Auradon?" asked Carlos.

"All in good time, Carlos," said Mal, choosing to let the future answer the question.

"Our friends will find me," said Carlos confidently. "Good always triumphs over evil."

Mal responds with a sinister chuckle and pets Carlos like a dog. This sends a chill down the boy's spine as he continues to fail to appear unafraid.

"I'm counting on that," said Mal.

Mal leaves to rejoin with the others, leaving Carlos to only hope that his friends will find him before the situation escalated even further out of control.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Auradon Prep, everyone present there was panicking over the disappearance of Carlos De Vil. Jay found a note under his pillow that says:

 _M_

It was easy to assume that Mal had taken Carlos, especially after Dude told everyone that he smelled magic last night. Ben immediately informed all the leaders of the kingdom of Carlos' kidnapping so that they can aid in the search. Evie had tried to use her mirror, but that attempt, once again, failed. Until the son of Cruella De Vil can be found, all the missing boy's friends can do is sit down, wait, and hope.

Jay was growing tired of waiting after a few hours, mostly because he's very worried about Carlos. He skips lunch and spends the day shooting balls into a net in the Tourney Field. However, he was doing more than just simple warm-ups. He was whacking the balls as hard as he can. Safe to say, he's taking his anger out on the balls. He can picture Harry Hook's face on them and just wants to hit them with his Tourney stick.

After hitting the last ball into the net, he sees Lonnie watching from from not so afar. She was holding a Tourney stick in her hands, for some reason.

"I'm surprised you didn't run off on us like Uma did," said Lonnie.

"Only because I know I can't accomplish things on my own, which is opposite of the lesson my dad taught me," said Jay.

"Look, Jay, I know Carlos is like a brother to you," said Lonnie. "But trying to deal with your worries alone is never the answer."

"Then why are we still here?" Jay asked. "Why aren't we out there searching for him ourselves?!" Jay threw his Tourney stick to the ground in frustration.

Lonnie decides to get closer. She grabs Jay's shoulder and turns him so he's looking straight at her.

"We're gonna find him," said Lonnie positively. "I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I'm saying it because we're a team. All of us. It's not just you and Evie. You have me and Ben, everyone. And as you know, teamwork..."

"Is the best way to win," Jay said with Lonnie.

Feeling that Jay needed more cheering up, Lonnie opts for the simplest way. A hug. One that he accepts, as shown by him returning the hug. A kiss on the cheek was a welcome method as well.

"Let's play, shall we?" Lonnie suggested. "I'll be the goalkeeper. Think you can score against me?"

"Oh, I bet I can on the first try," said Jay confidently.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Evie, meanwhile, was sitting by herself in Jay and Carlos' dorm. Dude was being watched over by Jane, who has been babbling nonstop about how worried she was about Carlos. Evie had tried using her mirror several times, but not even a please can persuade the mirror to give her a precise location on her friend. All she can do is touch the ring that he gave her, only to remember that she removed that ring last night, all because she refused to be his friend if he doubts her faith in Mal. This only makes her feel worse, as she feels as if the universe was punishing her for throwing away the one thing that connected her to him.

Evie looks at the pillow where she left the ring, only to notice something similar about it. She picks it up and immediately realizes why she recognizes it.

"He kept it," she said to herself.

It was the pillow that she gave to him as a gift back on the Isle of the Lost. It was her way of paying him back for rescuing her from Cruella's closet, although she never admitted that because she knows that compassion is frowned upon on the Isle and so she chose to say that she just needed to throw out some pillows.

"After all this time, he kept it," she said.

As the tears threatened to escape her eyes, she holds the pillow close and hugs it as if it were Carlos. As she hugged the pillow, she mentally begs for the universe to bring Carlos back to her so she can hug him and tell him that she was sorry for her behavior last night.

"Why, Mal? Why would you take him?" she wondered.

Just looking at the note with the letter M on it not only makes her worry more but also brings back a horrible memory.

* * *

In Beast Castle, Ben was sparring with his father in the living room. However, Ben was acting differently. He wasn't fighting as if he was just sparring. He was fighting as if he was in a real sword fight, as evidenced by his stronger strikes and quicker swings. Beast tried to keep up, only to get tagged on his side, losing the fight. Beast was, no doubt, surprised by his sudden defeat. He takes off his mask so his son can see the smile on his face.

Ben takes off his mask, but instead of smiling at his dad, he drops the sword and turns away.

"Well, look at that. You actually beat me after all," said Beast.

"I guess Mal has a point. Anger is strength... in a way," said Ben.

"Yet, you're not celebrating your first victory against your father," said Beast.

Ben stared out the window without saying a word. Beast decided to say what his son wouldn't say to him.

"Son, I'm just as worried as you are," said Beast. "Mal was part of our family. It breaks all our hearts to see her cross to the side of evil."

"And now she has Carlos, who could be suffering right now for all we know," said Ben fearfully.

"Ben, negativity doesn't suit you," said Beast.

"I DON'T FEEL LIKE BEING POSITIVE RIGHT NOW!" Ben shouted.

Beast was surprised to see Ben like this. The last time he shouted at him in his "Beastly" voice was during the Royal Cotillion, but that was when he was under Uma's love spell. This time, however, he was himself. Ben was feeling to regret talking to his father the way he just did. His angry look was replaced with shame.

"I'm sorry," Ben apologized. "I didn't mean..."

"That's okay, son," said Beast. "It happens to me at time. My Beastly rage has always been a part of me before I even became Beast."

"I'm just so afraid and confused right now," said Ben. "I don't even know..."

"You feel guilty," said Beast. "You blame yourself for Mal's betrayal."

"I agreed to the decision to trap her in the library," said Ben. "I provoked her. I forced her hand. Because of it, people are dying and suffering."

Beast hated seeing his son like this. It was so unlike him. He always thought positive, believed the hope is the answer to everything, and was taught that love is the ultimate weapon against evil.

"Ben..."

Beast was cut off when Ben's phone rang. He answers it just as Belle enters the room to check on them. The name of the caller made Ben both hesitant and eager to answer. He decides not to keep the caller waiting.

"Hello?"

 _"Hi, Bennyboo." It was Mal._

"How are you?" Ben mentally slapped himself to choosing that question as his first words.

 _"Fine," said Mal._

Ben decided to get serious. "Where's Carlos?"

 _"Don't worry. He's fine. For now, at least," said Mal._

"What do you want?" asked Ben.

 _"To talk face-to-face," said Mal. "A cliffside outside of Auroria. Don't worry. I promise I won't hurt anyone. Just come."_

"Mal..."

Mal hangs up, preventing Ben to speak further.

"That was Mal, wasn't it?" Belle guessed. "What did she say?"

"She wants a one-on-one meeting," said Ben.

"Why?" Belle asked.

"She didn't say. She just told me where and when," said Ben.

"Ben, this is a big opportunity to get ahead in this war," said Beast. "Don't show up alone. Bring backup."

"You're suggesting deceit," said Ben. "Dad, that's wrong."

"Not if you do it for the right reasons," said Beast.

"Like when you agreed to my idea for the Christmas decorations, only to tweak it in your own way?" Belle reminded him.

"That was two years ago," said Beast. "Besides, this is different."

"Dad, Mal betrayed us because I did something bad to her. I locked her up behind a barrier, as if she was a prisoner on the Isle of the Lost," Ben reminded.

"Who's to say she won't deceive you when you meet her?" Beast assumed. "What if she's expecting you to show up alone so she can kidnap you? Or ask you to trade your life for Carlos?"

"Maybe she just misses Ben," Belle thought.

"Maybe, but considering the circumstances, we have to be prepared," said Beast.

Ben couldn't help but feel that his dad has a point. Mal is on the side of evil now and he shouldn't be so lax with her. On the other hand, if she wants to talk simply because she misses him, he can't betray her trust again or the situation might become worse.

"Can I have a moment alone, please?" Ben asked his parents. "I need time to think."

Belle and Beast politely leave the room, but not before Belle gives Ben a kiss on the cheek for comfort. She says to him, "Follow your heart."

Ben spent the next five minutes thinking about what he should do. Should he use a tactic his father taught him to use in sword-fighting or should he use the power of love to prevent further pain?

Ben calls a number and waits for the receiver to answer. When he hears the sound effect of the receiver answering, his nerves tensed, feeling even more nervous for what he is planning to do.

 _"Hello?"_

"Evie, get Jay and meet me in the conference room. We need to talk," he said.

 **What is Ben going to do? Is he gonna listen to his father or is he gonna handle this himself?**

 **Oh, and if you do leave a review, I want you to tell me...**

 **What do you think of the flashback element so far? You can reread Chapters 21 and 22 in case your forgot something. I would really appreciate it if you tell me, because I want to know if the flashbacks are a good idea.**


	24. Choices and Trust

**A/N: Edited on 09/19/2019.**

 **Mal and Ben are about to talk for the first time face-to-face since the former's betrayal. Is it gonna be touching? Is it gonna be heartbreaking? I'll leave you to find out. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia, 61394, Guest21, xez2003, TheGreatGodzilla**

 _Two months ago..._

 _The royal ship is sailing back to the shores of Auradon, but the party on the deck is still going on. Clearly, no one wanted the Royal Cotillion to end. Everyone was just dancing and laughing and splashing. The watery mess that Uma left turned into arguable the most fun part about the Cotillion. Mal and Ben stand side-by-side on the upper deck, holding hands as they watched everyone having fun below on the main deck._

 _"Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming," Mal joked._

 _"Why would you be?" Ben asked._

 _"Lady Mal of Auradon," Mal said formally. "This is a huge step forward, Ben. A really, really huge step."_

 _"You know I'm right here for you always, right?" Ben said._

 _"It's not just the title I'm worried about," said Mal. "It's what the Cotillion means for our future."_

 _"What do you mean?" Ben asked._

 _"Lonnie said the Royal Cotillion is like getting engaged to be engaged to be engaged," said Mal. "As in, you know... marriage."_

 _A smile of confusion pops up on Ben's face, failing to understand his girlfriend's dilemma._

 _"So, what's wrong?" He asked._

 _"Marriage means a new title," said Mal worriedly. "Queen."_

 _"And you're worried, why?" Ben asked._

 _"Ben, I think we both know I'm not queen material," Mal said doubtfully. "I mean, I'm more than ready to take the next step as Lady of the Court, but the step after that... I don't think I'll ever be ready..."_

 _"Hey, don't say that," Ben said, holding Mal's hands tighter and looking at her with as much as love as he can show. "Mal, I'm aware that choosing you means I'm giving this kingdom a new queen, and I'm not afraid of that."_

 _"But why not?" Mal asked. "Queen is more than just a title. It's a big, big, big responsibility..."_

 _"That I know you'll handle amazingly," Ben said positively. "Mal, you know I love you for who you are. I trust you to be yourself."_

 _"Yeah, but..." Mal paused and turned away, unsure of what to say._

 _Ben was planning on giving her some space when he looked at the stain glass portrait of him and her. It was his gift to her. The gift that helped her see that he loves her for who she really is. He turns Mal's face towards the portrait, which triggered a small smile on her face, much to his delight. He holds her hand again as he speaks what's on his mind._

 _"That's you," said Ben. "Now, imagine you wearing my mother's crown."_

 _Mal closes her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again._

 _"I can picture tomatoes being thrown at my face and signs saying, Go back to the Isle," Mal said half-jokingly._

 _"Well, I picture us standing on the balcony of the castle, side by side, waving to the people who adore you very much," said Ben. "Mal, I know you're about to begin a new era of royalty and I am looking forward to it. You will be a wonderful queen. I know it, not just because you're gonna do it your own way but also because you're not alone to face the responsibility."_

 _Mal looks at Ben and smiles. A real smile, this time._

 _"I'm so glad we're back together," said Mal, staring at him with love in her eyes. "I need you. Also, you need me. Your mom said so."_

 _"She's a wise woman," said Ben._

 _Mal kisses Ben on the cheek before giving him a headbutt of love. The two close their eyes and breathe calmly as they let each other's presence remind them of the bright future that comes. Mal is the luckiest girl on the planet to be the love of Ben's life. Like she said, they both need each other._

* * *

The Lost Pearl is currently sailing for Auroria, where Mal plans to have a chat with the King of Auradon. While everyone is either chatting or doing their duty on the ship, Mal is standing by the railing, looking at the blue sky above her. It made her sick. Oh, how she wished that the skies were dark every day. A gloomy grey covering everything above - maybe some purple clouds for personal preference - and terrifying every person and thing below with a cursed storm. She prefers it that way, at least she does now.

"C'mon, Ginny! Put your back into it!"

That yell came from the captain of The Lost Pearl, CJ Hook. Ginny was ordered to raise the final sail, but she was too slow. Ginny rolled her eyes as she tried to put more effort on raising the sail.

"Oh, Gil, if you're done staring, keep swapping!" CJ ordered.

Gil has been staring at CJ for hours, but he stopped doing that and continued swabbing the deck when she yelled at him.

Mal didn't need another example to see why Freddie abandoned CJ. She was a control freak, that's for sure. Still, Mal didn't join her to overthrow her. However, if she started barking orders at her like that, she would not hesitate to teach the blonde pirate a lesson.

Mal taps her fingers on the railing, only to repeatedly hear the sound of metal tapping against wood. She looks down and sees the gold signet ring on her finger. It was the first ring Ben gave to her, as a symbol of the beginning of their relationship, love spell or not. Her mind shifts to what she was wearing underneath her glove. She can still feel the engagement ring around her other finger. She had almost forgotten about it, considering she was still wearing it even after she turned her back on Ben.

"Well, hello, gorgeous."

Mal rolls her eyes as she hears Zevon approach her. He adjusts his coat as he stands next to her. When he tried to get close, she would distance herself.

"Now that you're evil again, maybe we can finally that talk about us," said Zevon, attempting to flirt with Mal.

Mal ignores him, focusing on the ocean blue waters below.

"Playing rough, aren't we?" Zevon replied. "C'mon, Mal. You and me. We're perfect. You're evil. I'm evil. You love magic. I love magic."

"Trust me, Zevon. We are far from soulmates," said Mal.

Zevon was about to hold Mal's hand, until a hook grabbed his shirt and pulled him away from the purple-haired sorceress. The hook belonged to Harry, who was glaring daggers at the son of Yzma, as well as holding two mugs of spicy cider on the other hand.

"I think it's best if you leave the lady alone, laddie," Harry said threateningly.

Harry throws Zevon towards a barrel. As Zevon fell backward with the barrel, the barrels surrounding him toppled on him, hurting his face, stomach, and knees. Harry walks towards Mal, taking his turn to make eyes at her. Mal, this time, looks at her admirer, mostly because he brought her a mug of her favorite drink. She quickly drinks every single drop before tossing the mug into the ocean.

"It is certainly a pleasure to have you on board the ship, Mal," Harry said flirtatiously.

"It's a pleasure, indeed," Mal agreed. "But not for the reasons you think."

"I had my doubts to begin with, but after what you did to Carlos, I couldn't doubt you any longer," said Harry.

"Glad to hear," Mal said dismissively.

"You know, if you're interested, we could have a drink, just the two of us," Harry offered, winking as he did.

Mal smirked in response. "What about your beloved Uma?"

"Uma's lost in the waters right now," Harry said, stroking Mal's cheek with his hook. "Why waste my time thinking about her when you're right here with me?"

Harry leans closer for a kiss, but Mal stops him halfway by putting her finger on his lips. While Harry froze, Mal looked at him with a teasing smirk.

"C'mon now, Harry. Even our pathetic, little Carlos has a better chance at stealing a kiss from me than you," Mal teased.

Mal removes her finger from Harry's lips. He backs away a little, understanding the message.

"I'll take that challenge," said Harry.

Mal blows her fringe up as she walks away from Harry, winking at him for extra teasing. Harry takes it the wrong way and grins, thinking he still has a chance.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal decides to check up on Carlos, maybe scare him for the fun of it. However, when she opened the door to the empty room he was tied up in, he was gone. The chair was lying down sideways on the floor, right next to the ropes that were supposed to be around Carlos' wrists. She immediately rushed back outside. After opening the door to the main deck with force, she shouts.

"Carlos escaped!" Mal said.

"What? How?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know, but he's around here somewhere," said Mal.

CJ looks down from the quarterdeck and starts barking orders. "Gil, Zevon, check all your quarters. Mal, Ginny, stay here on the deck and keep an eye for him. Harry, you and me will check the prison below. Now, c'mon! Get moving!"

"Sheesh! She's so bossy," Ginny muttered.

"For once, I agree with you," Zevon whispered.

"I said get moving!" CJ repeated.

And so, everyone moves on to their designated search positions.

Mal and Ginny survey every inch of the main deck, checking inside and behind each barrel and knocking on wood in an attempt to force him to make a sound. Mal closes her eyes and raises her right hand, feeling the magic all around the ship. The ship was completely covered in magic, but she figured a way around that.

"Hey, Mal. CJ said to look for our escaped prisoner, not to sleep standing up," said Ginny, misunderstanding Mal's current action.

"Shh," Mal shushed her.

Mal opens her eyes, which glowed green, as she walks towards the forecastle. She bends down and opens a secret hatch, where Carlos was hiding with one of Zevon's potions, hence why she sensed magic on him. Carlos smiles and waves nervously, despite knowing it's not going to make Mal drop the subtle anger on her face.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back in the empty room, Harry and Gil force Carlos back down on the chair. Ginny ties him up. Mal casts a magic spell on the ropes. Carlos tries to untie himself again, but the spell on his binds just zap him with dark magic whenever he struggles.

"I must admit, Carlos. I'm impressed," said CJ. "Escaping from those ties, mighty impressive."

"I almost broke my wrist doing it," Carlos complained.

"Try to escape again and I'll break it for you," Harry threatened.

"Don't worry. He won't be escaping ever again," said Mal. "Those ropes are now enchanted to restrain him forever, and only I can remove the enchantment."

"Still, I say we teach him a lesson," said Zevon.

"Agreed," Harry said, holding his hook in front of Carlos' face.

"Hold," Mal ordered.

Everyone stopped talking and moving.

"Let me handle this," said Mal. "Everyone get out."

The rest of the crew just exchanged looks, seemingly refusing to leave.

"I said, everyone get out," Mal repeated, sounding subtly irritated.

"You heard her. Let's give these two some privacy," said CJ.

CJ and her crew leave the room so Mal can talk with Carlos alone. They, although, stay close to the door to listen in. Mal walks circles around Carlos. Each step she takes makes a sound. Each time her boots make contact with the wooden floor, Carlos flinched, afraid of what's to come. Mal stops and quickly slams her hands on the seat's backrest as she looms closer, scaring Carlos even more.

"I bring you here and tell my new friends not to hurt you unless I say so and _this_ is how you repay me?" Mal sounded aggravated in spite of the deadpan tone.

"If it made you feel any better, I wasn't thinking about jumping overboard," Carlos said nervously, sweating nervously as well.

Mal smirked just watching Carlos fail at trying to conceal his fear.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" Mal asked.

"N-N-No," Carlos lied.

Mal's eyes glow as she looms closer, making sure Carlos looks at nothing but her eyes. Carlos was beginning to shake on the inside as Mal's stare weakens him inside and out. She stares at him for over a minute, further igniting the fire inside of him. By the time she was finished, Carlos had the look of a scared little boy who was afraid of the dark.

"No, you deserve something far worse than being afraid," Mal decided.

Mal pulls up Carlos' right sleeve and removes the invisibility spell she cast on his shoulder many months ago, making his M-shaped scar visible to the naked eye once again. She then ignites fire on her hand, shaped like the letter M, and slowly brings it closer towards Carlos' left shoulder. As her hand moved closer, Carlos felt even more afraid.

"No. Please, no," Carlos begged.

Outside the door, the rest of the villain kids continue to listen, until everything went silent. They were about to leave when they heard a scream. The scream, no doubt, came from Carlos. It reminded them of his scream when Mal gave him the M-shaped scar on his shoulder. Despite the door in between them and the boy, the scream was so loud that they each felt the need to cover one ear, the one facing the door.

After the screaming stopped, Mal stepped out the door with a smirk on her face as she walked away. The other villain kids looked inside, seeing smoke emanating from the burn mark on Carlos' left shoulder. Mal stops when she suddenly feels shame and guilt. Why? She tries to suppress these feelings as she continues walking.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Auradon, Evie, Jay, Jane, Belle, Beast, and Dude were gathered in the hallway outside of Ben's room, waiting for the young king to come out. As they wait continues, Jane constantly and worriedly rambles on about the worst possible scenarios that could be happening to Carlos right now.

"What if they're torturing him? What if they make him walk the plank? What if they cut off his hand? Will he have to wear a hook for the rest of his life? Oh, what if they dump his head into a barrel of fish...?"

Evie was lightly smacking her head repeatedly on the wall. Her irritation over Jane's rambling outweighed her empathy. Jay was trying to cover his ears, but he could still hear her. Belle and Beast's eyes just followed Jane as she paced back and forth. Dude was walking in circles for no reason other than to try and think of anything else besides Jane's worries.

Ben comes out of his room, wearing his VK-style leather, and sees his worried friend go on and on about what CJ and her crew could be doing to her boyfriend.

Ben grabs Jane's shoulder, stopping her, and gently shakes her to relax her.

"Jane, it's gonna be alright," Ben assured. "I'm gonna get him back, I promise. Just calm down."

"I want to, but I can't," Jane said worriedly. "What if he's... he's..."

Ben cuts off Jane by giving her a hug. Jane hugs Ben tightly, still worried. But she was beginning to calm down.

"Man, thank you. She was driving me crazy," said Dude.

"I feel you, boy," Evie agreed, petting Dude.

After the hug, Ben faces his parents, who were clearly concerned for him, obviously because of his choice of clothing for his talk with Mal. They've never seen their son in these clothes before.

"I just thought that maybe wearing this would help," said Ben.

"Maybe," Jay agreed, mostly.

"Okay, I'm ready," Ben said confidently. "Dad, tell Lumiere to prepare the limo."

* * *

It was almost 9 o'clock. Ben walks through the forest surrounding Auroria on his way to meet the woman he loves, who, for unknown reasons, wants to talk to him after betraying him. No matter the circumstances, Ben was going to take advantage of this opportunity. After ducking under a low tree branch, he could see her. He could see Mal, standing by the cliff, staring at the moon in the night sky. Her purple hair danced to the cool breeze.

Ben could stare at her all night, if her voice didn't snap him out of it.

"You know, when I was 13, I had a secret," she said. "I wore the title of my mother's daughter proudly. However, that didn't stop kids like Uma and Harriet and Rick Ratcliffe from trying to take control of my streets. They didn't care who my mother was. That's when I grew tired of it. Secretly, I hated the fact that I'm only feared because my mother's name is Maleficent. I was still trying to impress her, though, but I had an ulterior objective. I wanted everyone to fear me for who I am. If anyone so much as spills sludge on me, I'd burn their skins. If they ever insult me, I would not hesitate to break a bone or two. I wanted to make sure that when I have a victim at my feet, I want him to beg me for mercy in my name, not my mother's. So far, it's only worked on Carlos and the sidekicks."

"That's a... um... interesting story," Ben lied, honestly feeling disturbed by the story.

"It disgusts you, doesn't it?" Mal knew. "Knowing that the person you see in front of you is the same person you brought here from the Isle."

"The person I brought from the Isle, I knew that she was the one the second I laid my eyes on hers," Ben said. "Did I mention that I dream of you every day?"

Mal smirked, amused that Ben quoted a line from that embarrassing love song he sang to her while he was under her love spell.

"I may have been spelled, but that was true," said Ben. "In that dream, I was on the Isle of the Lost. It was horrible. It made me feel sympathy for the children who lived there. I fell into a ditch, but a hand grabbed mine and rescued me. That hand belonged to the woman that I now love. A beautiful young woman whose hair shines like amethyst, whose eyes glow like an emerald, whose heart is as pure as a hero."

Mal chuckles as she finally turns around to face the king.

"You know, what I really admire about you, Bennyboo," Mal said with a subtly cutesy tone. "Is that you always look at the bright side of everything. Me and my friends had the wand in our possession, ready to take over, yet you still tried to reach out to us, to me. You show up on the Isle of the Lost uninvited, witnessed the misery of so many children, yet you asked Uma to let you help them."

"Because there's no good reaching into the dark," said Ben. "You have to always look into the light. Mom taught me that."

"That woman, she never fails to amaze me with her wisdom," said Mal. "Did your father ever teach you anything?"

"He taught me how to use a sword," Ben answered.

Mal raised an eyebrow, suspicious that he was holding back something. While he said something that may be true, she got the feeling that he was hiding something from her.

"Where's Carlos?" Ben asked, deciding to get serious.

"I asked you to come here because I wanted to talk, and you still ask that question?" Mal sounded subtly annoyed. "He's still breathing, but he's far from all right."

"What did you do to him?" asked Ben.

"You'll find out _if_ you get him back," Mal said.

"Mal, please, there's no need for you to hurt anyone," Ben pleaded.

Mal keeps her smirk on as she walks circles around Ben, laying a hand on him, which ran right around his chest and shoulders and back as she walked.

"When I took Carlos, I told him that I turned on this kingdom because I couldn't and didn't want to be the good girl I've been pretending to be," said Mal. "That I needed to take the next step in my journey to discover who I am and why I walk this land."

"I already know the answer to that," said Ben. "You are Mal, daughter of Maleficent and the future queen of Auradon. You walk on this land because you were born to. You were meant for greater things than suffering on the Isle of the Lost."

"Future queen, huh?" Mal almost felt the need to laugh.

"You're still wearing it, aren't you?" Ben asked.

Ben caught Mal looking at her gloved hand with a downcast expression on her face. It's a clear sign that she is still wearing the engagement ring.

"I betrayed you. I killed over a dozen people. I kidnapped my friend and you would not even believe the pain I caused him. Yet, you're still trying to save me from myself," Mal said dispassionately, trying to dissuade Ben from trying to save her.

"You never turn your back on the people you love," said Ben.

"Oh, you mean unlike when you turned your back on me after you locked me up in the library?" Mal reminded him with subtle bitterness.

"That was a mistake," Ben admitted. "But I'm trying to make up for that, I really am."

"Well, you're gonna have to do more than just tell me you love me," said Mal.

Ben did what he did back on Neverland and kissed Mal on the lips with as much passion as he can show. Mal was beginning to admire his boldness to be more intense like her, but she pushed him away after only five seconds. She shoves him a few inches away from her with faint ire on her face.

"True love's kiss won't save the day, Ben," said Mal. "Although, I like the fire."

"I'm trying to do better," said Ben.

"You can start by embracing the fire that comes with the outfit," Mal said, referring to his leather jacket.

"Are you saying that's the only way you'll let me in? By becoming evil?" Ben asked.

"Why do you think I'm still wearing both these rings?" Mal replied. "Maybe there's still a part of me that wants you in my life, but only if you open yourself to feel what it's like to embrace the darkness, as I have."

"What makes you think I have it in me?" Ben asked.

"Evie, Jay, and Carlos told me you handled the basics pretty well back on the Isle," said Mal. "I think you've got potential."

"Tempting, but I would be betraying my people if I explored that potential," said Ben.

"I changed for you, so it's only fair that you change for me," Mal said, holding Ben's face closer to hers.

"Mal, I want to be with you. It's all I want, but..." Ben paused.

"You choose your people over me," Mal finished his sentence for him.

"It's my responsibility as king," said Ben.

"Then this was a mistake," said Mal.

Mal removes her hands from Ben's face and walks away from him. She stops close to the edge and raises her glowing hand. Knowing that Mal was going to vanish, Ben decides to make his move. The very move he didn't want to do, but had no choice other than to make it.

"Guys, now!" He shouted.

A vial of potion is thrown out from a bush, heading straight for Mal. However, Mal quickly turns around and destroys it with a blast of dark magic. The faces of Evie, Jay, Lonnie, and Freddie pop up from behind the trees and bushes, shocked and bummed that the purple-haired sorceress saw it coming.

"Bennyboo, I am surprised of you," Mal rhymed playfully, in spite of the emotionless tone. "Trying to stab me in the back, huh?"

"It was nothing like that, I swear," said Ben.

Mal raises her hand again, casting a spell. Evie, Jay, Lonnie, and Freddie are all frozen and raised in the air. They could still talk and breathe and move their eyes, but their bodies were rendered immobile. Ben runs towards them, but Mal casts her immobilizing spell on him as well, keeping him from moving his feet. He was stuck in the position of a running man.

"Now, I could just throw them off this cliff and leave, but I want to know first, Ben," said Mal. "Why did you bring them here?"

Mal lifts the spell from Ben so he can look at her when he confesses.

"Believe me, I wanted to come alone," Ben said. "But in case this was a trap or something, I had to take my father's advice and be prepared."

"And you said you didn't want to embrace your evil potential," Mal mentioned. "Yet, you went behind my back. Again."

"Please, Mal. Let them go. It was my decision," said Ben.

Mal looked askance at him, sensing a lie.

"Okay, I may have consulted Evie and Jay at first, but it was my decision in the end," Ben admitted. "Mal, please, release them and talk to me."

"Oh, I think we're done talking," Mal said darkly.

Mal raises her ex-friends higher, seemingly preparing to throw them off the cliff.

"No!" Ben cried.

Ben runs behind a tree and grabs his scabbard. He draws his sword and approaches Mal. Mal undoes her spell and draws her own sword. While Evie, Jay, Lonnie, and Freddie land hard on the ground, Mal and Ben start clashing blades. As the three VKs and daughter of Mulan try to pick themselves up, they watch the two former lovers fight, which was a very hard sight to watch, to be honest.

Ben was taking it easy so he doesn't hurt Mal. Mal was just playing along, acting nonchalant as she swings left and right with just enough speed and force to intimidate Ben. Ben manages to duck underneath one of Mal's swings, which was fortunate. They both attempt a low spin strike at the same time, leading to their blades hitting nothing but each other. Mal kicks Ben across the face, causing him to roll across the ground.

Ben gets back on his feet as they both continue to trade swings. Mal ducks and dodges a few of Ben's swings as she increases the speed and force of her strikes, adding a couple of kicks for good measure. A brief lock was disrupted when Ben used both hands. Mal, though, reacts fast enough to block his next strike.

"Ben's holding back," said Jay.

"So is Mal," said Lonnie. "Although, it looks like she doesn't even care."

"Does a resurrection also come with enhanced swordsmanship?" Freddie wondered half-jokingly.

"In Mal's case, apparently," Evie replied.

Mal strikes hard before unleashing a spin kick, knocking Ben closer towards the edge of the cliff. Ben tries to a sweeping low kick, but Mal blocks it with a simple thrust of her foot. Ben was trying to show more fight, while Mal remains as nonchalant as the beginning of the fight. She ducks and dodges Ben's swings with no problem as she strikes him with intensity. Mal elbows Ben below the neck and strikes. Ben blocks it, but he gets pushed even closer to the edge.

"You shouldn't hold back," said Mal.

"Neither should you," said Ben.

"Believe me, if I was trying, this fight would've ended before it even started," Mal said.

Mal grabs Ben's arm and flips him to the ground, away from the edge.

"I'm disappointed," said Mal. "Even with your friends in danger, you still refuse to give it all you got. You may have the guts to stab me in the back, metaphorically speaking, but you don't have the guts to do it literally."

"Mal, please, leave them alone," Ben begged.

"Oh, they're not the ones you need to worry about right now," said Mal.

Mal takes out a phone and dials a number. She gives it to Ben so he can see the name of the owner of the number. Aurora.

"Now, when I snap my fingers, make the call," Mal said.

Mal raises her hand and snaps her fingers. Ben taps the call button and waits for Aurora to answer.

"Hello?"

 _"Ben, is that you? Oh, I'm so glad you called. We're in trouble," said Aurora._

"What's the problem?" Ben asked.

 _"Three fires in Auroria. They just came out of nowhere," said Aurora, panicking._

Ben was shocked to hear this. He looks at Mal, who was looking down at him with that evil smirk on her face. It was pretty obvious who started the fires.

"Don't worry. I'll be there. I'm close than you think," Ben said to Aurora.

After ending the call, Ben stands up and looks at Mal with horror on his face. Mal was clearly enjoying the sight of this expression.

"I did say I wouldn't hurt anyone. I didn't say that I wouldn't leave three embers lying around Auroria," Mal said sadistically.

"You expected me to bring help," Ben realized.

"Half-expected," Mal said honestly.

"You were testing me," Ben ascertained. "That's why you brought me here."

"Smart as you are handsome, my dear king," Mal replied.

"But why set those fires?" Ben asked.

"The fact that you chose to go behind my back and bring backup instead of coming alone shows that you still don't trust me for who I am," Mal said. "There's a price to pay for that. A terrible price. Just remember, my love. This is on you, not me."

"Mal, please, innocent people will die!" Ben begged.

"Their deaths serve a purpose, which is to help me figure out who I am," Mal said, clearly uncaring about the fate of the people of Auroria.

"Mal, please, I beg of you. Just shut off the fires and bring Carlos back to us," Evie pleaded.

"If you keep doing this, you're gonna regret it for the rest of your life," Jay said.

"Then you two clearly don't know me at all," Mal said.

"Mal, just come home," Ben begged, grabbing Mal's hand. "You once said that we need each other. From where I'm standing, we need each other again."

Mal swats Ben's hand off hers as she take a step back, falling off the cliff. Ben rushes forward and looks down, only to see magical sparks, meaning that Mal had teleported herself away before she hit the water.

"Guys, c'mon!" Lonnie shouted. "We gotta help Aurora!"

Ben and his friends run as fast as they can towards Auroria to contain the situation before innocent people die. As he ran, Ben thinks about Mal. She invited him here just to test his potential for evil. He can't help but admit to himself that maybe she's right. He didn't come alone because he didn't trust her enough. Could she be trying to lure him to the dark side? No, he couldn't let her do that, regardless whether or not it's what she wants.

He has to stay true to himself. The compassionate, honorable son that Belle and Beast raised to rule Auradon.

* * *

Ben, Lonnie, Evie, Jay, and Freddie make it to Auroria, only to see everyone in the village running around and panicking. That's because the three fires that Mal cast were way bigger than what they expected. The fires are spreading at an extremely fast rate, threatening to burn the entire kingdom to ash. Two of the fires have already connected with each other and it's only accelerating the destruction of Auroria.

"This is insane!" Freddie said.

"Well, don't just stand there and say that this is insane. Stop this from being insane," Evie demanded.

"There's too much going on here. These people are not gonna make it," said Freddie.

"Don't say that," said Evie.

"Mal did this," Ben muttered with horror. "She did this. I can't believe she did this."

"Ben, wake up," Lonnie interrupted. "I don't wanna believe it either, but we can worry about our other worries later. Right now, we have to worry about all these people."

"R-R-Right," Ben snapped out of it. "Spread out. Help anyone who needs it. No one is dying tonight. No one."

Ben is on his way to the castle to see Aurora, but he helps anyone in need of rescuing along the way. He hears a woman shouting for help, begging for someone to help save her son, who is trapped in their burning apartment building. Being the brave hero that he is, Ben runs into the building, regardless of the fire, and heads to the top floor, which is where the woman said her son is. He finds the woman's 5-year-old son and carries him out of his burning room. However, the fire soon blocks the stairs. So, Ben had to find an alternative. There was a crowd of people big enough to catch him outside, so he tells the boy to close his eyes before jumping out a window. The crowd catches him and save both him and the boy. Ben gives the boy back to his mother.

"Oh, thank you, my King," the mother said gratefully.

"He saved me, Mommy," said the son.

"He sure did," the mother said happily.

"I'm sorry for all this," Ben apologized, ridden with guilt. "But I'm gonna fix this... somehow."

Jay and Lonnie find an injured father trying to save his wife and child, who are still inside their house and that house is on fire. The doorway is blocked by a pile of burning planks. Jay and Lonnie find the nearest water barrel and use it to extinguish the fire on the planks. They kick their way through the plank pile and find the man's wife and child trapped in the kitchen. Jay uses his sword to hack burning wood in the way while Lonnie escorts the woman and child out.

"We're going too slow," said Jay.

"I know, Jay," said Lonnie.

"Help me!" A little boy cried.

"You go ahead, Jay. I need to go help that boy," said Lonnie.

Lonnie runs to the little boy, who tells her that his mother is inside their burning house. Lonnie runs inside to finds the boy's mother, who has an injured leg. Lonnie helps the injured woman out of the house, only to almost get crushed by falling burning planks. Lonnie survives, but the mother...

"No," Lonnie said with sorrow and self-disappointment.

Evie heads to Auroria's orphanage after seeing the fire spread all the way there. The adults there and some civilians have managed to save the staff and most of the children. However, there are still some kids trapped inside. Evie runs up to the second floor and finds one little boy and one little girl surrounded by fire. There was, however, a hole in the floor on the left that was fire-free. Evie encourages the two kids to jump over the hole and towards her. Evie helps the kids to ground floor and out of the orphanage, only to get scraped on the shoulder by flaming rubble falling down from the ceiling.

"Agh!" Evie cried.

"Are you okay, Ms. Evie?" asked the little girl.

"It's just a scratch," Evie assured. She covers the wound so the kids can't see the bleeding.

Freddie gets trapped in a cottage when she tried to rescue four kids who are now orphans. Their parents got crushed by burning rubble, much to their misery. Freddie tries to get them to focus on escaping, but it took so long that she ends up getting trapped. Using her magic cards, she manages to clear some of the rubble just to open a path for her and the kids. Freddie tells the kids to follow her and run. She stops by the front door to allow the kids to get out first. However, the ceiling crumbles and falls on her. Despite rolling away, Freddie was in shock at how close she was to... not surviving.

"Dammit, Mal," Freddie cursed as she clutched her mildly injured hip. "You're gonna pay for this. Wherever you are."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Little does everyone know that someone was watching the chaos and destruction from a safe distance on a hilltop tall enough for anyone to see the entire kingdom. It was Mal. Instead of just leaving after jumping off that cliff, Mal decided to stay and witness the burning of Auroria. She can also see her friends and ex-boyfriend trying to rescue as many innocent citizens as they can. But no matter how hard they tried, the fire continued to burn every thing and every one.

Mal stares at the little fire in her hand, relishing in this moment.

"Let that be a lesson. Don't ever cross me," she muttered darkly.

 **Man, this is a largely packed chapter. I didn't mean it, but it just happened. So many ideas crammed into one chapter.**

 **So, what did you think about Mal and Ben's talk? Did it reach or exceed your expectations?**

 **A/N (concerning the edit): I've included more details of the Auroria fire situation in future stories of this series, which made me wonder why I didn't include those details in this story at first. If I really want to highlight the horrid nature of this event (yes, I know that sounds terrible), I should've included the part where Ben and his friends are in the middle of the fires a long time ago. I didn't, but now I did. It's morbid, but the T rating isn't just for show. Look, I just want to tell a story, even though I keep emphasizing the dark tone in this story.**


	25. Using Evil for Good

**Have you guys wondered, "Where were CJ and the other villain kids while Mal was talking to Ben?" Well, even if you're not, I'm gonna answer that question. This chapter will also feature some "Jay being a big brother" moments with Evie. Read and enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, Guest, xez2003, CarvieCamfia, Mustang52, Quartz Rider**

 ** _To Mustang52_: That's pretty deep, but you do have a point... about Ben needing to step up, not Mal being killed. This story may be dark, but I'm trying not to go too dark.**

 _Eight months ago..._

 _It was the night before Ben's coronation. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos meet up at the boys' dorm to discuss the plan one more time. After the horrible way the Auradon kids treated them during and after Family Day, they were more than determined to finish the job their parents assigned them. They were gonna steal Fairy God Mother's wand, free their parents from the Isle of the Lost, and take over Auradon._

 _"We all clear?" Mal asked._

 _"Don't worry, captain. We won't forget our parts," said Jay._

 _"Don't call me captain," said Mal, clearly irritated._

 _"Look, I know you're still upset about this afternoon, but I think you need to chill," said Jay._

 _"I'll be chill after Coronation tomorrow," said Mal. "Don't blow it."_

 _"We won't, I promise," said Jay._

 _"I was talking to myself," said Mal, munching on a chocolate bar.  
_

 _"Hey, where did you get that?" Carlos asked, wondering how Mal found his secret stash of chocolates._

 _"They don't exactly sell cider in the cafeteria, so I needed something else," said Mal. "Also, a pillow is a cliche hiding place."_

 _"You don't have to worry, Mal," said Evie, putting a hand on the purple-haired sorceress' shoulder. "You still have Ben's heart in your hands, and that's all we need."_

 _"Now I have this terrifying image in my head," Jay commented, a bit disturbed by Evie's choice of words._

 _"Mal, this plan is full-proof," said Evie, trying to make Mal feel more confident. "Once we have the wand in our hands, no one, not even an entire room full of heroes, would dare to stand in our way."_

 _"You'll be remembered forever as the one who freed all the villains from the Isle," said Carlos. "Stealing the wand may be your mother's plan, but the plan that gets it done is yours."_

 _"Yeah, what he said," said Jay, trying to take credit for those words. "I... we... believe in you, Mal."_

 _Mal smiled for a second, secretly feeling touched by her friend's words._

 _"How do you do it, though?" asked Evie. "Always come up with such incredible plans?"_

 _"Not all my plans are full-proof, but thank you for the compliment," said Mal. "When it comes to making a plan, I follow three principles. One, make sure the execution is as flawless as possible, . Two, always be cautious in case of failure. Three, when the original plan fails, discard it and either come up with a Plan B or improvise."_

 _"So, in the event your plan for Coronation goes wrong...?" Evie asked._

 _"I use my magic," said Mal._

 _"And if that doesn't work?" Carlos asked._

 _"Oh, it will work," said Mal. "With the no-magic rule, they don't have the means to stop us. That's the problem about Auradon's perfection. They've been living in absolute peace for 20 years, which is why they were so eager to welcome us with open arms instead of prioritizing security. They play too safe."_

 _"Which means our victory will wake them up," Carlos replied._

 _"By the time they do, we'll be stepping on them like ants," Mal said with an evil smirk._

 _"Ooh, I think my spine just tingled," said Evie, feeling her vertebrae shiver from Mal's words and tone._

 _"That's fear, Evie," said Mal._

* * *

The Lost Pearl is out of water and floating high in the sky. CJ was up on the crow's nest, looking through her telescope, searching for their next destination. Harry was manning the wheel, as he always did. Ginny was reading a news report on her phone, along with Gil and Zevon. The report was about the fires at Auroria that occurred yesterday evening.

"Wow, Mal sure made quite the mess at Auroria," said Ginny.

"And to think, I almost doubted her," said Zevon.

"Uh, you did," Ginny reminded him.

"Don't attempt to infurgitate me," Zevon said angrily.

"I think the word is infurione," said Gil.

"Read a book, you two," Ginny dissed them.

"Ahoy, mateys! The Enchanted Wood is within our sights!" CJ hollered from above. "Gil, prepare the anchor!"

"Aye, aye, Captain Cutie," said Gil flirtatiously.

"Just get moving, you muscle-brained dummkopf!" CJ ordered.

"You heard the captain, dummkopf. Get moving," Ginny said, pushing Gil towards the anchor.

CJ swings down from the crow's nest and lands on the quarterdeck.

"I never tire watching that," said Harry.

"Of course you're not," CJ teased.

"Victory is nearly within our grasp," said Harry, sniffing the air. "You can almost smell it."

"Actually, that's linden, but I do love the scent," said CJ, sniffing the air as well. "Call me a softy, but I'm loving the fragrance. It's nice to get away from the foul stenches of the Isle."

"Me and you both," said Harry.

CJ takes her brother's hand and looks at him with determination.

"You're right, brother. Victory is upon us. We could not have gotten this far without each other," said CJ.

"I guess family has its advantages," said Harry.

Harry uses his hook to move part of CJ's hair away from her eye, making sure her face is uncovered. He grins as she playfully pokes her on the chin with his hook.

"Can't have you ruling Auradon looking like a mess," said Harry.

"Awww, didn't know my brother cared about my looks," CJ teased. "In that case..."

CJ takes Harry's hook and wipes off what appears to be a small piece of sludge on his cheek. She adjusts his pirate hat in an awkward position on his head for laughs.

"You're lucky you're my blood. No one takes my hook away from me besides Uma," said Harry.

The siblings stopped teasing each other when they felt The Lost Pearl stop, which meant that Gil has already anchored the ship.

"If you two are done poking each other, we're here," Ginny called.

CJ gives Harry his hook back and lightly smacks his chin with her finger before heading down to the main deck. Harry is left thinking how one adventure has forged a bond between him and his sister. They always respected each other, in a way, but recently, it felt different.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Auradon Prep, in Jay and Carlos' dorm, Evie is lying down on Carlos' bed, hugging his pillow, while Jay is taking his frustration out on video game villains.

"Carlos loves that game," said Evie, hugging the pillow tighter.

"Don't remind me," said Jay. "Dang! We almost got him back. All we needed was Mal to talk."

"But she didn't, and she killed nearly a hundred people in Auroria because Ben brought us along," said Evie sadly.

"You sound like you're giving up," said Jay.

"I'm not giving up," said Evie.

"Yet, you're hugging Carlos' pillow as if he's gone," said Jay.

"I just miss him so much," said Evie. "I never even got to tell him I'm sorry."

Jay pauses his game upon realizing why Evie has been moping about Carlos non-stop since the Auroria fires.

"It's not your fault, Evie," said Jay. "Mal wanted Carlos. She would've taken him regardless of what happened between you and him."

"Really? Because it feels like she knew what happened and took him just to mess with me, to make me feel how I am right now, and I let her because... because..." Evie paused, unable to fight back against her tears.

"Hey. Hey. Don't cry. Not with me in here," Jay pleaded, rushing towards his friend.

Jay helps Evie sit up and gives her a hug, feeling that it is the right course of action when it comes to comforting a friend who is sad. It seemed to work when Evie hugs him back.

"Thanks. I needed that," said Evie.

"Well, that's what friends are for," said Jay.

"I don't want sit around here and do nothing anymore, Jay," said Evie. "I want him back."

"What about Mal?" asked Jay.

"Jay, she murdered a lot of innocent people. I may be an optimist, but even I know when to let my optimism blind me from the truth," said Evie. "Mal is a villain now. She's gone way too far."

"So, you're giving up on her?" asked Jay.

"I don't know anymore, Jay," said Evie. "Look, I want Carlos back first, and then we'll talk about Mal."

"But what are we gonna do?" Jay asked. "Even if we go out there by ourselves, we don't even know where to start looking for Mal. She has magic, so she can literally be anywhere in Auradon."

"She was right about one thing, though," said Evie. "Auradonians play too safe, and we've become just like them in the way we've been fighting this war. Mal is going all in on keeping us from finding Carlos and we let her succeed because we always try to do the right thing just as heroes do. It's time we start thinking like Mal."

"So, what you're saying is that we use bad to win this fight?" Jay guessed.

"It's not evil if it's used for good, right?" Evie replied.

"So, what do you have in mind?" asked Jay. "Steal some magical items for the museum?"

"We only need to steal one item," said Evie. "Fairy God Mother's magic wand."

"Who, going for the big score, aren't you?" Jay replied. "But I thought only Fairy God Mother can deactivate the force field that shields it."

"I have a crazy theory," said Evie.

* * *

Evie and Jay plan to break into the Museum of Cultural History after closing hours. They show up with an unconscious Jane being carried by Jay. They ambushed her and knocked her out using Evie's sleeping potion.

To open the door, Evie uses a hair pin. She opens the door as silently as possible as to not attract the attention of the guard. She takes out a small silver sphere, activates it, and rolls it towards the guard. It stops next to his chair and sprays sleeping perfume at him, putting him to sleep.

"Carlos, you are a genius," Evie said.

Evie and Jay started running down the halls in search for Fairy God Mother's wand. Since they've been here before, they know where it is.

"Okay, time for Jane to wake up," said Evie.

Jay puts Jane down as Evie sprays ordinary perfume at her. She smells it in and wakes up. She yawns and stretches her arms before seeing where she is. She was in the museum with Evie and Jay, who were creepily grinning at her. She turns around and sees her mother's magic wand.

"Why are we in the museum?" asked Jane.

"Oh, we're just stealing your mother's magic wand... again," said Jay.

"What?" Jane asked, surprised and confused.

"It's for a good cause, Jane," said Evie, knowing Jane will jump to the wrong conclusions. "We need it to find Carlos."

"Why didn't you guys talk to Ben or my mother about this?" asked Jane.

"Because they'll never agree to this," said Evie.

"Then why am I here?" Jan asked.

"We need your help," Jay asked.

"But what do you need me to do?" asked Jane.

"Obviously, you're mother's not gonna bring down the force field for us, but I have reason to believe that maybe your magic might be bring it down," said Evie.

"What makes you think so?" Jane asked.

"You're your mother's daughter," Evie answered. "You wield the same magic she does. If she can bring down the force field, maybe you can."

"Emphasis on maybe," said Jane.

"I thought it was a dumb idea," said Jay.

Evie hits Jay on the chest, glaring at him. Jay just shrugs his shoulders and takes a step to the side, distancing himself from Evie.

"Aiding and abetting theft, huh? Oh, my mother's gonna kill me," said Jane worriedly. "I could be grounded for life, or worse, imprisoned..."

"They have prisons here on Auradon?" asked Jay.

"Yeah, there's a dungeon underneath the castle," said Jane.

"Look, Jane, you're not going to prison. We'll take the heat for this," said Evie. "We just need you to cooperate."

"And what if I don't want to?" asked Jane, trying to turn off her worrisome look.

Evie decided to ask her a big question. "Jane, do you love Carlos?"

"I-I do," Jane answered.

"Then by helping us, you're helping in rescuing him," said Evie.

Jane sighs, defeated. "I can't believe I'm about to do this. Keeping my magic hidden from my mother is one thing, but this..."

"Uh, Jane, can you please hurry up?" Jay asked, growing impatient. "Your boyfriend's in danger, remember?"

"Okay. Okay," Jane replied.

Jane faces the force field and takes a deep breath. Waving her hand in the air, she tries to come up with a rhyme for the spell she has in mind.

" _With these words, I ask with grace, free my mother's wand from his case,_ " she cited.

Nothing happened.

"I guess your theory was crazy after all," Jay said to Evie.

Suddenly, the force field started to disappear. Jane started cheering, proud of herself, only to remember that they're in a museum, so she silences herself. When the force field had fully disappeared, Fairy God Mother's wand falls down to the floor. Jane picks it up and reluctantly gives it to Evie.

"Thanks, Jane," said Evie. "Carlos would be proud of you."

"I hope he will be," said Jane.

Evie reaches for something in her bag, "Now, I'm sorry to do this, but since you're terrible at keeping secrets..."

Evie sprays Jane with her sleeping perfume five times, putting the daughter of Fairy God Mother to sleep. She faints and hits her head on the ground as she fell.

"That's gonna leave a mark," Jay commented.

"True, but Jane will wake up thinking this was all a dream," said Evie. "Now, let's get her back to her room and then we'll look for Mal."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After taking Jane back to Lonnie's dorm, Evie and Jay return to Jay's dorm so they can use the wand in peace. Evie takes out her magic mirror. She checks her hair and complexion first before moving on to more serious matters.

"Mirror, mirror, in my hand, where is Mal in this land?" She asked.

The mirror lights up and shows Evie an image of Mal, who was currently strolling through a forest, humming the song "Evil."

"So, where exactly is she?" Jay asked.

Evie asks her mirror ."Magic mirror, where is the forest on the map?"

The mirror shows an image of Auradon's map and zooms in on where Mal currently is. Sherwood Forest.

"Good. Now we know where she is," said Evie.

"So, we go in, ask her where Carlos is, rescue him, and be back before everyone wakes up," Jay recapped the plan. "Sounds easy enough."

"Don't jinx it," said Evie.

Evie starts waving the wand and taps her magic mirror. Magical sparkles twinkle around Evie and Jay and make them vanish, taking them to Sherwood Forest.

 **Can bad really be used for good? Well, Evie and Jay think so, but the outcome for their secret mission, as well as answer as to why CJ and her crew are at the Enchanted Wood, will have to wait until the next chapter. Man, I hope you're as excited as I am.**


	26. In the Woods at Night

**Evie and Jay are now trying to do what Mal did when CJ was winning the war. Will it work? Read, enjoy, and find out.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Quartz Rider, TheGreatGodzilla, top story, CarvieCamfia**

 _One year ago..._

 _CJ had just returned to her father's house from another profitless journey around the Isle. She was running out of places to explore and she was beginning to go mad from the lack of adventure available on the Isle. I have got to get off this island, she thought to herself. Swinging in from the hole in the roof that she caused, she crashes into a crate when her rope was cut by Harriet's sword._

 _"Hey!" CJ yelled._

 _Harriet was laughing evilly. "That was worth it."_

 _CJ gets up, despite the pain, and walks towards her older sister with an angry look on her face. Before fists and insults can be thrown, Harry Hook shows up and steps in between his sisters._

 _"Let's not make a mess of the house again, ladies," said Harry. "You all remember how upset father was yesterday, and I am so not in the mood for another night of cleaning up."_

 _"She ruined my landing," CJ complained, pointing at Harriet._

 _"Well, she is being a baby," said Harriet._

 _CJ was about to jump at Harriet, only for Harry to catch her mid-flight and carry her away from Harriet._

 _"Awww, is the little pirate about to cry?" Harriet teased._

 _Harry keeps his hands on his younger sister and says, "Don't even think about it, CJ. Just let it go."_

 _"She just drives me nuts, you know?" CJ said._

 _"Believe me, I know," Harry agreed._

 _"That's cute. Two worthless bilge rats sharing dirty cheese," Harriet teased._

 _Harry's grip on his hook tightened as he tried to fight the urge to make his older sister pay for her insults._

 _"Oh, and you two may wanna pick up dad's coat from the poor folk's laundry," Harriet ordered. "He wants it back by tonight."_

 _"Why can't you take care of it yourself?" Harry asked._

 _"Uh, because I'm ordering you two to do it," said Harriet._

 _Harriet sits down and puts her feet up as she shines her sword. Harry was growing tired of her bossy attitude and confronts her. Slamming his hand on the table, he looks at her with as much fury as he can show. Harriet was not intimidated as she was still shining her sword._

 _"You think that just because you were born first means you get to treat us like rats?" Harry questioned._

 _"I think being the eldest makes me the captain of you two," said Harriet._

 _"You're our sister, not our captain," said CJ._

 _"Why don't you two poke each other instead of trying to assert my authority," said Harriet._

 _"Just because you have your own crew, it doesn't make you any more the superior of us," said Harry. "So, I would suggest you cease the big-sister authority."_

 _"And what if I don't stop? Are you gonna go crying to Uma and ask her to fight this battle for you?" Harriet teased._

 _"You say that, yet you stalk that pretentious bore, Anthony Tremaine," Harry retorted._

 _"At least I keep my interests professional, while you follow Uma around like a little puppy," Harriet replied._

 _Harry holds up his hook in front of her face threateningly before walking away, feeling that she wasn't worth it. He approaches CJ, who was looking for new rope._

 _"You're a bold one, aren't you, Calista?" He said._

 _"Don't call me Calista, Harry," said CJ. "And I didn't need you to protect me."_

 _"Is that any way to talk to your big brother?" Harry said._

 _"Oh, what? Just because you're older, I have to lean on you," CJ sassed._

 _"Blood is blood, Calista," said Harry._

 _Harry was about to playfully poke CJ on her cheek with his hook, until she grabbed his wrist before his hook touched her face._

 _"Don't touch me," said CJ. "Keep that hook of yours on Uma's face and out of mine."_

 _"And that's your problem. You prefer to stand on your own instead of finding allies to back you up," said Harry._

 _"I don't need anyone, not even you," said CJ. "Stop acting like you care."_

 _"Well, for the record, I wasn't trying to protect you because I care. It's because I didn't want you to make a fool out of yourself," said Harry._

 _"Glad to know you do care," said CJ sarcastically._

 _CJ grabs some rope and leaves, pushing Harry's hook against his chest on her way out. Harry glanced at her with both pride and disappointment. He may have despised her in a way, but he still respects her, only she refuses to see it. Still, a part of him felt that he lied to her. Did he protect her because he cared?_

 _"Complicated, that girl is," he commented._

* * *

CJ, Harry, Gil, Zevon, and Ginny have been walking through the Enchanted Wood for hours and it was almost midnight. So far, they have encountered plenty of obstacles that have left a mark on all of them.

Ginny gets soaked from head to toe after a magical fiasco at the river. Gil was hung up-side down and then thrown into a mud slide by a vine that appears to have a mind of its own. Zevon gets attacked by birds... and it's safe to assume he's gonna need a really long bath after that. Harry gets his hook stolen by a rabbit, and while he did get it back, the chase left a few scars and bruises on his chest and legs, including a black eye from the bunny's kick. CJ upsets a magical tree and gets her red coat stolen. The trees played keepaway, which ended in the coat accidentally getting torn to shreds, leaving CJ in her white blouse.

"I'm gettin' tired, CJ," said Ginny. Her legs were starting to feel weak. "Can we call it a night?"

"Not until we find that well," said CJ, looking at the map of the Enchanted Wood.

"What's so special about this well exactly?" Gil asked while yawning.

"The Pixie Dust Amulet can do more than just control pixie dust. The Enchanted Well can help it reach its full potential," said CJ. "I won't just be commanding all pixie dust. I can transform them, re-purpose them. Just think of all the possibilities."

"Why couldn't we just use the ship instead of walking all the way?" Ginny asked.

"Because these woods are as thick as your skulls, you morons," said CJ, sounding cranky.

"She's just cranky because she lost her pirate coat," Zevon whispered to Ginny.

"I heard that," said CJ, causing Zevon to jump in fright.

"Look, sis, I'm all for adventure, but even I know when a pirate needs to lie down," said Harry. "And that time is now."

Gil collapses and falls asleep upon a face-first fall, snoring as well, much to everyone's dismay.

"Get up, Gil!" CJ ordered.

"Five more minutes, mommy," Gil babbled in his sleep.

CJ was about to make Gil get up with her bare hands, until Harry grabs her by the shoulders and pulls her back.

"Let me go, Harry!" CJ ordered.

"Not a chance," said Harry, keeping his grip tight on his sister.

"As your captain, I demand that you release me," CJ demanded.

"As your brother, I insist you cease and desist," Harry replied.

CJ continues to try and free herself from Harry's grasp, until he started rubbing her shoulders as if he were giving her a massage. His hands run down her arms as he whispers "shh" into her ear, attempting to calm her down. It seemed to working as CJ appeared to be getting less angry with each passing second.

"And I thought these two couldn't get any more touchy," Ginny whispered to Zevon.

"Unless you're gonna tell me that Auradon siblings are this close," said Zevon.

Harry stops massaging CJ when he sees that she seems calm. Her eyes are closed and her breathing has slowed.

"Now, what are you gonna say to the crew?" asked Harry.

CJ opens her eyes and says, "Get some shut eye. We'll continue our journey at dawn."

"Finally," Ginny said, falling back on the grass.

While Zevon unpacks his sleeping bag, CJ and Harry decide to have yet another brother-and-sister moment alone. They both sit down together on a large boulder.

"Since when is being calm a thing for you?" CJ asked.

"Since I learned my sis has temper that rivals that of Uma," Harry answered.

"Temper's her thing. My thing is unpredictability," said CJ. "Well, our thing."

"Go ahead. Show me," said Harry.

CJ puts a hand on her shoulder before saying two words she's never said before. "Thank you."

Harry blinks rapidly due to disbelief, followed by opening his mouth and leaving it open for a long time.

"Zevon's right. I'm just a little angry that those damn trees destroyed my only coat," said CJ. "Now, all I have is this stupid blouse and I'm freezing my skin off right now."

CJ hugged herself as she shivered due to the cold evening breeze. Harry, being a brother, decided to do something about it. He takes off his coat and puts it around his sister. She was surprised by this act of "kindness," but chooses not to question him and accepts the gesture.

As if CJ's unpredictability couldn't surprise him any more, Harry felt weight on his shoulder. It was CJ, sleeping on his shoulder. Instead of shooing her away, he runs her hook through her golden yellow locks, giving her a gentle rub on the head.

"Goodnight, sis," said Harry.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Sherwood, Evie and Jay have arrived via transportation by magic wand. They were floating few feet off the ground when they poofed in. Once the sparkles vanished, they landed safely on their feet.

"Well, we made it," said Jay.

"Nice job."

Evie and Jay screamed in fright when they heard a familiar voice behind them. It was Freddie.

"What are you doing here?" Evie asked.

"Following you," said Freddie. "I saw you two break into the museum."

"Okay, but how did you get _here_?" asked Jay.

"Same way CJ came to Auradon. You took me here by accident via magic," said Freddie.

"You were eavesdropping by the door, were you?" Evie guessed.

"Guilty as charged," said Freddie. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone when we get back. Although, I must say, stealing Fairy God Mother's wand, that was pretty bad of you two."

"We just need to find Carlos. That's all we want," said Jay.

"Now that we have that covered, we just have to find Mal," said Evie.

"Oh, I think you already did."

The voice in the shadows, no doubt, belonged to Mal. However, they couldn't see her, which is what scared them.

"Where's Carlos?!" Jay demanded an answer.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him right now," said Mal. "Worry about yourselves."

"Do you have any idea what I'm holding?" Evie said, holding the wand high. "You may be powerful, but we have the most powerful object in Auradon."

"So, you two have lowered yourselves to stealing, huh? I'm impressed," said Mal.

"Like you said, we have to do whatever we can to win," said Jay.

"Mal, please, don't make me use this," Evie pleaded. "Just give Carlos back to us and maybe we can talk about this."

Mal chuckles evilly, which made Evie and Jay feel even more scared.

"If you want answers..."

Suddenly, a ball of purple magic popped in front of the three VKs. It started floating towards the North.

"I think it wants us to follow it," said Jay.

"But what if this is a trap?" Evie whispered.

"Do you want Carlos back or not?" Mal asked, having heard Evie.

Evie, Jay, and Freddie reluctantly follow the light towards another section of the forest. What they find shocks and delights them. It was Carlos, sitting down on a wooden chair, tied up, and either unconscious or asleep.

"Carlos!" Evie cried happily.

Evie rushes towards him. When she tried to hug him, her hand went through him and he vanished.

"What the hell?" Evie exclaimed, confused.

Mal's evil laugh was heard in the shadows again.

"It was an illusion," Freddie realized.

"He's not really here, is he?" asked Jay.

"No, but you did find something," said Mal.

"And what's that?" Evie asked.

"Trouble," said Mal.

Another ball of purple light came in. Following it were the exact people Evie and Jay didn't want to see. Ben. Lonnie. Jane. Doug. They were shocked to see Evie, Jay, and Freddie with Fairy God Mother's wand. Evie quickly hid it behind her back, but the look on Ben's face was a clear sign that he saw it.

"Busted," Freddie said.

"Guys! What are you doing here?" Lonnie asked.

"Uh, we can ask you the same thing," said Jay, trying not to look nervous.

"You stole Fairy God Mother's wand," said Ben, feeling disappointed and betrayed. "Give it back."

"Not until we find Carlos," said Evie.

"Is that what this is about?" asked Doug. "Evie, how could you?"

"Just for the record, I wasn't there when they took it," said Freddie.

"You knew and you didn't tell us?" Lonnie asked.

"Did you guys, by any chance, use me to bring down the force field?" asked Jane, holding her aching head. "It all seemed like a dream at first, but now..."

"Okay, this looks bad," said Jay.

"Look, Ben, we know we did a bad thing, but it was for a good cause," said Evie. "You remember when we tried to steal the royal speedboat to go the Isle, right?"

"You could've talked to me first," said Ben.

"We didn't because we knew you wouldn't approve," said Evie. "You may be allowing us to use magic in this war, but you're still limiting us. We're sick of it."

"You're starting to sound like Mal," said Ben.

Mal's evil chuckle was once again heard, silencing everyone and sending chills up their spines.

"Mal, is that you?" asked Ben.

"Sorry, I meant to stay silent, but seeing all of you here, it's too precious," said Mal.

"You brought us here, didn't you?" Ben guessed.

"Well, Evie and Jay are doing something bad. Someone's gotta rat them out," Mal said with subtle sarcasm.

"Everyone, get down," said Evie. "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!"

Everyone ducks as Evie unleashes the magic wand's power all around the forest, hoping to draw Mal out of the shadows. After circling three times, she stopped. Nothing happened, besides a few trees getting turned into giant vegetables and bushes turned into cotton candy.

"Well, on the bright side, we can have a vegetable-fest this summer," Evie joked. "Eat healthy, right?"

"That may be a little too healthy," Freddie commented.

"Evie, what were you thinking?" Ben asked. "This is why I have limitations on using magic. It's dangerous in the wrong hands."

"I agree," said Mal.

The wand flies out of Evie's hand and into the shadows. Mal emerges from the shadows, holding the wand in her hand.

"Mal, it doesn't have to come to this," said Ben. "Just give me the wand and we'll talk this over."

"Unless you're planning on stabbing me in the back again, I think I'd rather hold onto this," said Mal. "Besides, this is a glorious opportunity."

Everyone stood back as Mal raised the wand high, fearing she would use it against.

"The most powerful magical object in all of history in my hands," Mal continued as her hands lit up like fire.

Unexpectedly, Mal snaps the wand in half, shocking everyone. The light on both halves of the wand died.

"Oops," Mal joked stoically.

"Hey, that was my mom's!" Jane reacted.

"Well, she's gonna have to make a new one," said Mal, dropping the broken wand. "If it's that simple, that is."

"You may be all-powerful, but you're outnumbered," said Lonnie.

"Uh, Lonnie, what are you doing?" asked Doug, afraid of what Lonnie might be planning to do.

"Remember your training, Mal?" Lonnie asked. "You and me. One-on-one. No magic. If I win, you tell us where Carlos is. If you win, well, we forfeit our lives."

"What?!" All of Lonnie's friends shouted.

"Uh, baby, did you just bet our lives on this fight?" Jay asked.

Lonnie chuckled because Jay called her "baby."

"Deal," said Mal.

"We are so dead," Jane muttered negatively.

Mal and Lonnie run towards each other and started trading punches and kicks, while everyone else watched. As it turns out, Mal had asked Lonnie to teach her martial arts during their free time. Being the daughter of Mulan, Lonnie had so much to teach Mal, who was about to show her mentor what she's learned.

Lonnie ducks under Mal's high kick and then kicks her towards a tree. Lonnie pins Mal towards the trees by keeping a firm grip on her shoulders, while Mal tried to break free.

"You've gotten better," said Lonnie. "But it's not enough."

"Go ahead. Underestimate me," Mal dared.

Mal headbutts Lonnie, slams her towards the tree, grabs her arm, and flips her to the ground. Lonnie was about to get up, until Mal kicked her across the face. After two more kicks to the stomach, Lonnie finds the strength to block Mal's next kick with her arm and gets back up.

"Still fighting dirty, huh?" Lonnie commented.

"I'm not using my magic, am I?" Mal replied.

"Lonnie, this is ridiculous," said Evie. "We don't have to fight."

"Oh, I think we do," said Mal.

"Relax, Evie. Lonnie's the teacher and Mal's the student. We both know how this is going to play out," said Jay, confident that his not-yet girlfriend will win.

And so, fists continue to fly and the kicks continue to be unleashed. After ducking a punch from Lonnie, Mal punches Lonnie twice and kicks her in the stomach. Lonnie blocks Mal's next kick by grabbing her leg and then pushes her to the ground with a hand around her neck. Mal was about to break free, so Lonnie throws her aside.

Lonnie walks towards Mal, dodges her punch, elbows her below the neck, grabs her arm, and flips both of them to the ground. Lonnie tried to pin Mal, only to get kicked in the face. The both get back on their feet as the fight remains evenly matched, until Mal gets the upper hand. She hits Lonnie on the neck and then grabs her arm before kneeing her in the stomach. She then flips her over her back towards a boulder.

Despite a bruised back, Lonnie stays in the fight. She punches and kicks faster, landing hits on Mal's arms and legs. Mal blocks Lonnie's next punch by grabbing her arm, but Lonnie spins to the other side, and shoulder-bumps Mal to the ground.

"She's good," said Freddie.

"Why do you think I made her captain of the R.O.A.R. team?" Jay replied.

"Stay down, Mal. I don't want to keep doing this," said Lonnie.

Mal stubbornly gets up and runs towards Lonnie. She jumps up, wraps her legs around her throat, and then throws her to the ground in painful fashion.

"Ouch," Jane reacted.

Mal stands up while Lonnie remains lying on the ground. Her head, the left side of her neck, and her back ached too much for her to stand up.

"I'm beginning to regret teaching you that move," Lonnie grunted.

"But this proves one thing. You're an excellent teacher. Your mother should be proud," said Mal.

Lonnie sees Mal's fist coming at her before everything went black.

* * *

Back in the Enchanted Wood, CJ and Harry were both asleep on the rock they were sitting on earlier. Harry had rested CJ's head on a pillow before going to sleep himself on the same rock, too tired to set up his own sleeping bag. CJ was sleeping peacefully when she heard a noise in the woods. She opens here ees

"Hey, Harry," CJ whispered, shaking her brother.

"What?" Harry asked while refusing to wake up.

"Someone's here," CJ whispered.

Harry still remained asleep.

"Fine. I'll take care of it myself," said CJ.

CJ puts on Harry's coat completely and grabs her sword as she heads to the spot where she heard the noise. A fallen tree branch snapped in two was on the ground, meaning that whoever was close wasn't being careful enough.

"Alright, you sneaky rat, I know you're here somewhere," CJ said, trying to draw out whoever's spying on her crew. "I have a sword and I'm not afraid to use it."

CJ stops walking to listen. She turns around just in time to block the strike of a sword, which belonged to none other than Uma.

"Nice try," said CJ.

"I see Harry lent you his coat. That's cute," Uma commented.

"Blood is blood," CJ said, quoting something his brother once said to her before.

"Your necklace," Uma said, noticing that the ornament around CJ's neck was glowing. "That's why my magic couldn't work on you."

"Which means you're gonna have to fight fair," said CJ.

CJ strikes left and right fast before kicking Uma to the ground. Uma kicks CJ in the leg before getting up. CJ blocks Uma's spin strike before kneeing Uma in the stomach. Uma begins to get overwhelmed by CJ's fast swinging. Considering she just woke up from a brief sleep, this was very impressive. Uma staggers backwards from every strike, until the two get caught in a lock.

"I gave you a chance to join us, and you turn it down because you can't be the captain," CJ reminded.

"Unlike you, I actually care about our people," said Uma. "You just want underlings who do whatever you want. Why did you think Freddie betrayed you?"

Uma tried to use her necklace's magic, only to get blown back by the power of CJ's necklace. CJ points her sword at Uma's neck, trying to make sure she doesn't think about standing up.

"You doubt my loyalty to our kind?" CJ accused. "Once I show Auradon that strength in numbers is only a belief, then I will free our brethren."

"So they can all repay you by doing whatever you say?" Uma assumed. "You turned your own brother into a servant. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Uma!"

CJ and Uma turn their heads to see Harry, who was awoken by their fighting. With CJ's head turned, Uma steals her sword, kicks her in the leg, and holds the sword against her neck.

"Uma, don't," Harry pleaded. "She's my sister."

"A sister who only cares about what you provide to her goals," said Uma. "You know as much as everyone that she has a superiority complex. She doesn't care about you, Harry. She just wants you to help her take over Auradon just to put herself on top."

"Don't listen to her, Harry. She's trying to tear us apart," said CJ.

"Only because what I'm saying is true," said Uma. "C'mon, Harry. Has CJ ever treated you fairly? Has she ever since your little hostile takeover mission started?"

"Actually, she has," said Harry. "I didn't want to believe it at first, but CJ has changed. She may still be the same overbearing pirate I knew, but she's shown me time and time again that I am not just her first mate. I'm her brother."

CJ smiled, while Uma was surprised to hear these words coming from Harry.

"Uma, I beg of you, release her," Harry begged.

Uma slowly moves her sword away from CJ. Just as she was about to approach Harry up-close, CJ quickly takes back her sword and hits Uma's face with the handle, knocking her out.

"Was that necessary?" Harry asked.

"Considering that she tried to kill me, yes," said CJ.

Harry kneels down and caresses Uma's cheek with hook, looking at her with slight guilt. He wishes he could change things so they both can get what they want, but his loyalty for his sister is making him second-guess himself.

"I'm sorry, Uma," said Harry.

Suddenly, the two caught the sight of a glow deeper in the forest. Slicing through the thick, leafy terrain, they found what they were looking for. It was the Enchanted Well, glowing like gold. It was guarded by a magical force field, but thanks to CJ's amulet, it vanished.

"Looks like we found it," said Harry.

CJ takes out the Pixie Dust Amulet and drops it in the well's waters. The waters glowed as the amulet rose from the waters. It floated and spun in the air as it glowed almost as bright as the sun, causing CJ and Harry to shield their eyes. When the glowing stopped, CJ grabbed the amulet.

"Did it work?" Harry asked.

CJ opens her bag filled with pixie dust and places it on the ground. Using the amulet, CJ commands them to rise. She then tests the amulet's new capabilities by sending them towards a tree. CJ thinks hard, and the pixie dust caused the tree to vanish instantly.

"Whoa," Harry reacted.

"Yeah, whoa."

CJ and Harry turn around to see Gil, who saw what the pixie dust did to the tree.

"The pixie dust never did that before," said Gil.

"That's what the well is for," said CJ. "Now, we have what we need to make Auradon submit."

"By the way, what is Uma doing here?" Gil asked, pointing back to where he found her, still lying unconscious.

CJ and Harry exchanged looks before looking back at Gil. Suddenly, a phone rang. It was CJ's. She was receiving a call from Mal.

"Hey, Malsy," CJ answered.

 _"Hey," Mal greeted. "I didn't think you guys would be up now, but I need to ask you something. Is Uma there with you?"_

"Wait, you knew she'd be here?" CJ asked.

 _"I led her there," said Mal. "And since you're answering the phone, I take it you handled her."_

"She's out cold," said CJ.

 _"Good," said Mal. "Listen, I need a favor. After you're done looking for the Enchanted Well, I need you to pick me up at Sherwood."_

"Actually, we already found it," said CJ. "And what are you doing at Sherwood? Punk-ing Robin Hood?"

 _"Oh, you'll find out when you get here," Mal said darkly._

 **The Hook siblings (minus Harriet) are becoming closer than ever. Isn't that cute?**

 **But I'm assuming you're wondering about what happened to Ben and the others following Lonnie's defeat. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but I want to keep you anxious until the next chapter. 'Til next time.**


	27. The Animal Within

**Last we saw Ben and his friends, they witnessed Lonnie lose to Mal. Since Mal managed to call CJ, you can assume that things did not go well for the heroes following the defeat of the daughter of Mulan. You'll get an answer of what happened here, but before things get even more intense, we will return to everyone's favorite puppy lover, whose name is Carlos De Vil.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, xez2003, CarvieCamfia, Guest43, Guest, Quartz Rider**

 ** _To Guest43_: Well, confidence is confidence... and she is Mal's teacher, so...**

 ** _To Guest:_ Well, this story was meant to inject some dark realism into the world of Descendants. While I do believe that heroes should always use the power of good to win their battles, this story is meant to make the heroes discover a line between what is necessary and what is right. I love a lighthearted fairy tale myself, but I also prefer some serious storytelling. Also, no need to slam on Ben.**

 _Two years ago..._

 _Carlos De Vil arrives awfully early at Dragon Hall. He was currently in the boys' bathroom. He faces the mirror, takes off his jacket, and rolls up the short sleeve on his shirt to take a look at the M-shaped scar on his shoulder. He can remember it like it was yesterday, because it was literally yesterday when he got it. He spent all night patching himself up. After a long night of bleeding and screaming, he wakes up to find the scar he was looking at right now._

 _All this pain because he accidentally stained Mal's artwork. Maybe he should stop trying to get on her good side._

 _"That looks good on you."_

 _Carlos jumped at the sound of the third scariest voice he's ever heard in his life. Mal stood by the doorway, arms crossed and looking at him with that evil smirk of hers._

 _"This is the boys' bathroom," said Carlos._

 _"And since when do I ever care about the rules?" Mal replied._

 _"What do you want?" Carlos asked. "You here to hurt me again just for the fun of it?"_

 _"I could carve a scar on your other shoulder if you'd like," Mal said sadistically._

 _Carlos takes a step back in response. Mal can only giggle with pride and delight at the sight of Carlos' clear fear of her._

 _"Whatever you want to do to me, just get it over with," said Carlos._

 _"Oh, I would love to, but I just wanted to make sure you remember what that scar of yours means," said Mal._

 _Carlos sighs before speaking. "This mark symbolizes who my life belongs to. You. I follow your orders without question and am forbidden to defend myself if you wish to hurt me again._

 _"You should be flattered," said Mal. "I'm both your mistress and bodyguard."_

 _"And the boxing glove to my punching bag," Carlos added. "I'm not anyone's property, Mal. I can't... I won't go through with this..."_

 _Carlos was interrupted when Mal pushed him towards the wall and pinned him to it with a tight grip. Mal's eyes started to glow and Carlos couldn't close his eyes after a split second of looking through them. Strangely, though, Mal closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Carlos was confused by the sudden stop, but remained afraid, especially if Mal was planning to do something worse._

 _"Let me be honest with you, Carlos. I've always liked you," said Mal._

 _"W-Wh-What?" Carlos was surprised._

 _"That big brain on yours..." Mal gently smacks him on the top of his head three times. "It has so much potential, yet it's all wasted on this weak coat you call a skin. I know that deep down underneath that cowardly exterior lies the heart of a rare breed of villain. I'm sure the kids from Rage Road would agree."_

 _Carlos' eyes widened, shocked that Mal knows his darkest secret. "H-How did you know about that?"_

 _"I have eyes everywhere, Snowball," said Mal. "Now, unless you want me to tell anyone about your deep, dark secret, you'll cater to my every whim, you got me?"_

 _Carlos gulps nervously and nods._

 _"Good boy," Mal said, tapping Carlos' cheek like a mother does to her child._

 _"What now? Do I get a kiss?" Carlos joked nervously._

 _"Tempting, but one must earn it from me first," said Mal with a playful smirk._

 _Mal lets go of him and leaves. Carlos tries to shrug of the fear and nervousness as he watches her walk away. She stops at the doorway and turns around to say one more thing._

 _"You're a man of science, right, Carlos?" She asked._

 _Carlos nods._

 _"Then I'm gonna need you to make something flammable," said Mal. "I'm planning on hittin' Uma's place after school, and I want to top myself, as I always want to."_

 _Carlos puts his jacket back on as he asks, "Care to be more specific?"_

 _"Walk with me," Mal said._

* * *

Snow White was currently at the Enchanted Wood... or what's left of it. Holding the microphone tightly in her hand, she faces the camera as it started rolling.

"This is Snow White, reporting live from the Enchanted Wood. An unexplained phenomenon just occurred last night that left about a third of the woods destroyed, claiming the lives of several poor defenseless animals, as well as three families who just happened to be camping right here. While the cause of this disaster is unknown, the perpetrator left a message via pixie dust. The culprits are none other than CJ Hook and her crew of villain kids. When King Ben was asked to speak about it..."

Footage of an interview with King Ben was played on television for the viewers at home.

"I promise you. CJ Hook and her crew will pay for their crimes. I know I have failed you before, but I intend to see this war put to a permanent stop," said the king.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Inside The Lost Pearl, Harry Hook was showing Carlos De Vil the live report by Snow White via phone. What Snow White and the rest of Auradon don't know is that not only did CJ use the Pixie Dust Amulet to destroy a part of the Enchanted Wood as a message but also that she did it to make Carlos pay for attempting another escape from The Lost Pearl. Using a pillow, he jumped overboard and landed safely into a pond, only to be caught immediately afterwards, given that CJ and her crew had just awoken and taken Uma as their prisoner.

Harry had volunteered to take the morning shift on guard duty, should the white-haired tech prodigy dare make another escape attempt. He decided it would be fun to torture him by showing him the prize he paid for his foolish escape.

"You guys are monsters," Carlos spat.

"No. No. No. You did this, you little pipsqueak," said Harry, poking the prisoner on the chest with his hook. "You tried to escape while we slept. You had to pay for that. You forced my sister's hand."

"She would've done what she did either way. You all would," said Carlos.

Harry laughed right in front of Carlos' face, amused by the boy's attempt to hide the guilt that was written all over his face.

"Maybe, but we wouldn't have tested it so soon if you hadn't provoked us," said Harry. "Now, you have to live with the guilt of leading those poor folks to their deaths. Let's see. Three husbands. Three wives. Nine children. One old hag."

A tear comes down Carlos' eye as he begins to struggle breathing, unable to block Harry's words from his brain.

"Oh, touched a nerve, didn't I?" Harry teased him. "Well, maybe we should watch that report again."

Suddenly, Carlos hits Harry in the face with a headbutt. While Harry's nose bled, he looked at the face of his prisoner. He was still feeling guilty, but he was angry, which was strange since he has never seen him _this_ angry before in his life. His fists curled and shook. However, Harry ignored all of this when his nose continued to ache and bleed.

"You're gonna pay for that," said Harry, angered.

Harry thrusts his hook forward, giving Carlos a scratch on the cheek. He screamed in pain as the door to the room opened. Mal came into the room to see a bleeding cut on Carlos' face. The blood on Harry's hook was a clear sign on the cause of the injury. Mal, at first, felt horrified to see Carlos in pain, only for her anger to take over quickly. The pirate can see the sorceress' eyes glow. The ire on her face was subtle, but it was present.

Harry turns his head and looks at part of the M-shaped burn poking from underneath Carlos' sleeve. It brought his mind on the M-shaped scar that was on the other shoulder, the one he received back on the Isle of the Lost. As long as he had that scar, no one was to hurt him without permission from the one who gave it to him. The woman who was currently looking at him with the clear intent of inflicting harm on him.

"Do you see this?" Harry pointed at his bleeding nose. "He made me do it."

"You know the penalty for violating my rule," said Mal.

"Mal, it does not have to come to this," said Harry.

"Oh, I think it does," said Mal.

Mal drags Harry out of the door and pins him to a wall while holding his hook against the left side of his chest, where his heart is. Fear was a rare feeling for villain kids like Harry, but that is what he is feeling right now. Mal pressed the hook deeper on Harry's chest, until she retracted.

"No, that would kill you," said Mal. "And that's not what I want."

"When I imagined us being this close, this is not exactly what I had in mind," said Harry flirtatiously, trying to smooth his way out of the situation.

"Nice try, Harry, but your pirate suave can't charm me," Mal said as her facial expression showed no signs of giving in.

Mal moves the hook to the right side of Harry's chest. She takes a moment to enjoy the look of fear on Harry's face as she traced circles on his chest. After grinning evilly at him, Mal quickly cuts him with his own hook.

Inside the empty room, Carlos heard a scream, which clearly came from Harry. It didn't end there as he heard Harry scream a second time. Carlos stared at the door, mouth agape, dreading to think what Mal did to the captain's brother.

Mal opened the door with a satisfied smirk on her face, which obviously scared Carlos. After locking the door behind her, Mal snaps her fingers, creating a small fire on top of her finger. She approaches Carlos and looks closely at the bleeding cut on his cheek.

"Fair warning: This is gonna hurt a lot worse," said Mal.

Mal slowly moves the fire closer to Carlos' cut. The boy tried and failed to stay away, mostly because he's tied up. He can only stare at the fire with fear as it came closer.

"No. No. No," Carlos pleaded.

As soon as fire made contact with his face, Carlos let out a scream that was heard throughout the entire ship.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Beast Castle, Ben was sitting on his desk with his forehead resting on his hand as he watches a video of him being mugged by reporters about the destruction of the Enchanted Wood. Belle and Beast peeking through the slightly-opened door, not wanting to disturb him but badly wanting to come inside and give him a hug.

"I know you're there," Ben said. "Please, come in."

Belle and Beast enter their son's office and sit down in front of his desk. They looked at him worriedly, but didn't know how to begin the conversation.

"I've already had a rough night and rough morning, so I can take anything you have to say," said Ben.

Beast decides to ask the first question. "Why did Mal let you go?"

After a few more seconds of silence, Ben answers. "She said that I'm part of CJ's endgame. I have to be alive for the _big finale_ , as she put it."

"I'm sensing doubt in your voice," said Belle, listening very carefully to her son.

"I just can't help but feel that there's another reason that she let me go last night," said Ben.

"I think we're thinking the same thing," said Belle.

Belle grabs Ben's hand and looks at the finger where he once wore his signet ring.

"She hasn't given you back your ring," said Belle with a smile.

"That's what I said back at Auroria," said Ben.

"You think that she let you go because she didn't want to see you hurt. Because she still loves you," Beast guessed.

"I... I proposed to her," said Ben.

Belle and Beast gasped with shock at the same time.

"And she said yes," said Ben.

"And you never told us?" asked Belle.

"I wanted to wait until after the war," said Ben.

"So, she hasn't given you back the engagement ring either?" Belle asked with a hopeful smile.

"I wanna believe that she still loves me and that she still wants a future with me," said Ben hopefully. "But... I don't think that future includes a grand wedding at the royal cathedral anymore. All I'm seeing in that future is me wearing leather. Villain-kid-style leather."

Belle and Beast look at each other, slightly disturbed and confused, before looking back at their son.

"But I'm more concerned about Lonnie and Evie and the others right now," said Ben. "Mal said, _I can't promise the same thing for them as I did for you_. And what's the opposite of sparing one's life?"

Belle gets behind the desk and embraces her son. Beast holds his son's hand. Ben was clearly hoping for the best and fearing the worst at the same time and they didn't want him to feel like that. Their once happy son who was always positive has become an emotional mess since Mal's betrayal, and it hurt them so him like this.

"We'll find them," said Beast.

"As long as we hold on to hope," said Ben positively, putting on the smile that made his parents smile all the time.

* * *

Back at The Lost Pearl, Gil was tasked with prison duty, which meant Zevon was stuck on deck-swapping duty. Evie, Jay, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, and Freddie were lying down unconscious in a cell. Uma, who was locked in a separate cell from the HKs (and three VKs), was waking up. The pain from the hit that knocked her out was gone, but her head still hurt. Gil remembered accidentally hitting her head against a rock when he was dragging her across the grass last night. Harry hit him in the back of the head with his hook again for that.

"Where am I?" Uma asked.

"In prison aboard The Lost Pearl," Gil answered.

"And just in time for breakfast," said Ginny, who came in with a tray of fries and seaweed salad. "Harry wanted to make sure you were well-fed."

As soon as Uma took her first bite of a fry, her face went from sour to surprised. It only became more evident after she tried the salad. It seems Auradon food makes anyone from the Isle lighten up.

"Tell him to come down here so I can thank him," said Uma.

"Well, I can ask him to trade shifts if you want to," said Gil.

Ginny slaps Gil on the shoulder and says, "She's our prisoner, your moron. You're supposed to look down at her like the garbage she is, not treat her like a friend."

"Sorry. It's just that Uma's been my captain for a long time. It's strange that we're in this position," said Gil honestly.

"Look, you guys have to get me out of here," said Uma.

"I'd love to, but Harry and his cute sister would hit me real hard if I did," said Gil.

Uma gags at the thought of Gil liking CJ romantically.

"Besides, why would we?" Ginny added. "You're the prisoner. You don't get to make demands."

"If you get me out of here, I can promise you more than just domination of Auradon," said Uma. "You'll get a captain who actually cares about what you want."

"And why should that matter?" Ginny asked.

"Tell me. Does CJ ever treat you like an equal? Does she ever show concern for your needs?" Uma asked.

Gil and Ginny stayed quiet, thinking carefully about how to answer. The question made them think deeply about CJ's way of captaining a crew.

"She only cares about herself," said Uma. "You're all just expendable dogs she expects to obey her every command. But if you let me out, that can all change."

After more careful thinking, Ginny says, "We'll talk."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

In the captain's quarters, CJ was treating Harry's wound on his chest, which was caused by Mal. She pours some spicy cider on a towel and uses it to cover the wound, hoping to stop the bleeding. It hurt Harry, but the pain lessened as time went by. CJ wouldn't say it out loud but it hurt her to see him in so much pain. Their father and Harriet have given him a hard time once in a while back on the Isle, but what Mal did was a whole new level of pain for Harry.

"Does it hurt?" CJ asked.

"No," Harry lied, trying to maintain his pride.

"How does Carlos look?" asked CJ.

"Probably worse than how I left him. Why else did he scream?" Harry replied, thinking about what Mal possibly did to their white-haired prisoner.

"Not that I blame you for what you did, but that was idiotic," said CJ.

"I think all the blood that came out of my schnoz was enough of an explanation," said Harry.

"And now, look at you," said CJ, purposely pressing the cloth harder on his wound as a reminder of how big of an idiot he was.

Harry grunted as he felt the sting of the cider again.

"Don't worry. I'll be sure Mal gets her punishment sooner or later," CJ assured him.

"I'm surprised you're doing this," said Harry.

"You're my first mate, not to mention my brother," said CJ.

"I'm just shocked to see you change so much since you left the Isle," said Harry.

"I haven't changed much, really," said CJ. "I just learned a few life lessons on my journey. Helpful ones, I might add."

"Beside family, what else?" Harry asked.

"That the best way to defeat an enemy if by making them your friend," said CJ. "That inspired me to come up with the plan to push Mal into becoming one of us."

"Clever, sis," Harry complimented her.

"I've always been," CJ bragged.

CJ removes the towel from Harry's chest to see the damage. An scar shaped like an X. CJ guessed that Mal probably thought it would be appropriate, given than the phrase "X marks the spot" is always associated with pirates, and Harry is one.

"I guess we have something in common," said Harry, looking at his scar. "Mal left a mark on both of us."

"Well, technically, it was those darn baby crocs who left the mark on me, but I see where you're goin'," said CJ.

After a few more minutes of cleaning up the wound, CJ wraps a cast around Harry's chest and back.

"I suppose I'll get back to the wheel then, captain," said Harry.

Harry was about to stand up, but CJ pulls him down. She lowers him until his head was resting on her lap.

"Just rest, bro," said CJ.

When CJ started rubbing his hair in a compassionate way, Harry agreed to rest. While all this kindness reeks of Auradon goodness, he couldn't resist every time she attempts to get close. He was just glad Uma wasn't here to see this. Once Uma crossed his mind, he thought about how she was doing down at the prison. He had hoped that Ginny gave her the food he told her to give, or else.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

In the empty room, Carlos wakes up to feel a hand touching his cheek. The hand belonged to Mal. As soon as he saw her, he wanted to close his eyes again and he did, not wanting to look at her.

"Oh, don't be like that, Snowball," said Mal. "I'm doing you a favor."

Mal was applying a literal magic touch on the scratch on his cheek. After cauterizing the cut on his face, which caused him to pass out, she casts a magic spell on it. Carlos was confused, because it didn't hurt. It felt soothing, like her magic was lessening the pain.

"There," Mal said, having finished her spell. "It should take a few hours before it fades completely. It'll be like as if it was never there in the first place."

"Why are you doing this?" Carlos asked, confused.

Mal sits down on Carlos' lap and looked at him in the eye.

"Because you're mine, remember?" Mal said. "No one scars you but me."

"What about my mom?" Carlos asked.

"All she gives you are bruises that heal with time," said Mal.

"Harry told me that our... _my_ friends are locked up here on the ship," Carlos mentioned. "Are they okay?"

"Not for long," said Mal. "But forget about them. I much rather talk about you."

"W-Wh-What?" asked Carlos, scare.

"What you did to Harry's face, that was precious," Mal said. "I think the dark side in you is starting to show."

"Y-Y-You don't know that," said Carlos nervously.

"Tell me," said Mal, leaning closer. "What did he do to make you hurt him?"

"I'm not giving you the satisfaction if that's what you want," Carlos said, looking away.

"He made you angry, didn't he?" Mal guessed. "It doesn't take much, doesn't it? I remembered what those little brats did to you back on the Isle. Just a little bit of anger is all that takes to unleash that wild animal that's been deep inside you. Jay called you a wild dog, and I think he may be right."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Carlos said, trying to convince himself and her.

"Oh, I think we both know what I'm talking about," said Mal. "You just blind yourself from seeing the truth, same as I have. I've opened my eyes, so maybe I can open yours."

"Mal, you're sick," said Carlos.

"Oh, that hurts," Mal said, pretending to be hurt by his words.

"No, I meant the _other_ kind of sick," Carlos clarified. "You're not thinking clearly. All this death and destruction, it's unnecessary. What makes you so sure that this is who you want to be?"

"That's my business," Mal said.

"If you're so sure about being evil, then haven't you taken off Ben's ring?" Carlos asked.

These words caused Mal to look at Ben's signet ring, which she still wore. The conflicted expression on Mal's face was subtle, but Carlos can see it.

"Face it, Mal. No matter how far into the dark you go, your heart will always remind you of who you are," said Carlos. "You're Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. One of my best friends. The King's girlfriend. _Ben's_ girlfriend..."

"I didn't come here to talk about Ben. I came here to talk about you," Mal said. "Believe me, Carlos. I actually want you to live through this war."

"Why? To kneel before you?" Carlos asked jokingly.

"To show you who you really are," said Mal. "You may think that being a callous low-life hood is the worst you can be, but you're wrong. I've seen the worst part in you once, and I want to see it again."

Mal holds the back of Carlos' head to keep him from looking away as she stared right into his eyes. Mal's eyes glowed green. Carlos was trying and failing to fight, until, for some reason, his eyes glowed red, which struck Mal with some kind of magic, causing her to look away.

"What just happened?" Carlos asked, confused by what just happened.

"Apparently, there's a darker side of you that I haven't seen until now," Mal said, intrigued.

A knock on the door prevents Mal from making her next move. She gets off Carlos and unlocks the door. She opens it to see Ginny, standing there looking glum.

"Hey, we're close to Charmington's shore," said Ginny.

"Good," said Mal.

"Why do I get a feeling something bad is about to happen?" Carlos asked nervously.

"You'll find out when you wake up," said Mal.

Mal puts her hand on Carlos' face and casts a sleeping spell on him.

 **I have to be honest, I did not expect this chapter to be this long. I'm sure you're more interested about what Mal has planned for her _former_ friends, but I still hope this chapter was worth reading.**

 **Before you leave, I'd like to point a few things out:**

 **\- The "Carlos' eyes glowed red" part will be explored in a future story. I just wanted to plant the seeds here, that's all. Interesting though, right?**

 **\- In the flashback in this chapter, Mal asked Carlos to make something flammable that she planned to use at the shop where Uma works at. Check the flashback on Chapter 21 ("Grudges"). The flashback there started with Mal leaving the chip shop after setting it on fire. And both flashbacks took place "two years ago." Coincidence?**


	28. Who Would You Save?

**What is Mal doing in Charmington, you may ask? Well, you're about to find out. Read and enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Quartz Rider, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, xez2003, Mustang52, TheGreatGodzilla, CarvieCamfia**

 ** _To CarvieCamfia_: In case you didn't read the note at the end of the last chapter, I said that Carlos' red eyes thing will be explored in a future _story_ , not future chapter. I'm sorry, but I needed to inform you.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Okay, I understand despising Mal for all the evil that she's committed, but beheading is just... yikes.**

 _Ten months ago..._

 _Mal and Evie were strutting down the streets of the Isle of Lost, scaring little kids along the way. One little girl hid her face with her doll. Two boys threw themselves in the dumpster and closed the lid. A group of kids gave them their money in exchange for their lives._

 _"This is a good feeling, actually," said Evie. "Being feared. I can see why you revel in it."_

 _"That's all that matters here on the Isle of the Lost, E. Fear," said Mal. "If you want to survive, you're gonna have scare your way to the top."_

 _"Well, it seems easy for you," said Evie._

 _"Only because of who my mother is," Mal muttered._

 _"And is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Evie asked._

 _"We're not here to share parental issues. We're here so that I can help you get to the top," said Mal. "A high EQ and a spot on my gang doesn't mean you're one of the baddest, not yet. As an individual, you still have a lot to learn."_

 _"Well, whatever you have in store for me, I can take it," said Evie._

 _"You consider yourself manipulative, right?" Mal asked._

 _"Well, I have the beauty that comes with it," said Evie, twirling one of her little braids._

 _"Then I have the right challenge for you," said Mal._

 _Mal leads Evie to Gaston's Duels Without Rules, where Gaston sells hunting weapons and his children challenge the toughest goons of the Isle of the Lost. Gaston the Second was currently fighting Big Murph, a rather large pirate from Captain Hook's crew. The fight ends with Gaston II jumping and slamming his elbow on Big Murph's stomach._

 _"Ouch," Evie reacted. "You're not gonna make me go in there, are you?"_

 _"No, I want you turn this event in your favor," said Mal._

 _"How do I do that?" asked Evie._

 _"Manipulation," said Mal. "If you really fancy yourself a master of that, then you have to prove it to me."_

 _Evie reads Mal's lips and listens carefully. She takes a look around of the place, trying to study the place and find a way to take advantage. The next match was Gaston II against his brother, Gaston III. People were betting on who will win the fight. Evie feels an imaginary light bulb pop in her head at the sight of this. She winks at Mal before moving in._

 _Two minutes later, Mal and Evie come running out of the shop with a boatload of coins in their hands. The angry gamblers chased them, demanding their money back. The two girls used Carlos' secret entrance into his mother's dressing room to hide. As they listened to the angry mob outside run past Hell Hall, they laughed evilly together, celebrating their getaway._

 _"Oh, those twins are so gullible," said Evie._

 _"Flirting with them, tricking them into handing over all the money that was bet on them, you are as manipulative as you claim your are," Mal complimented her._ _"You make me proud, E."_

 _"Words our own mothers never speak to us," Evie said with a frown._

 _"Forget them," said Mal. "It's the two of us now. With my savvy and your wits, we'll be the most feared bad girls on the Isle."_

 _"Being feared does make a girl feel powerful," Evie admitted. "Just yesterday, a couple of kids gave up all their money to me before running away in terror. I guess being the Evil Queen's daughter has its benefits."_

 _Mal chuckled in amusement. "Last week, Sammy Smee and a friend of his threw themselves in a trash can as soon as they saw me in a bad mood. Just watching them be scared silly cheered me up a bit."_

 _"So, what are you gonna do with your half of the money?" Evie asked._

 _"I have a couple of people in mind who owe me favors. If a little torture won't compel them, maybe bribing them will," Mal answered. "You?"_

 _"I think I'll just give half of my share to Dizzy, the poor girl," said Evie._

 _"Okay, giving Carlos a pillow was good enough, but supplying money to a little girl's failing business is just being too good," said Mal._

 _"I know we're villains, but I think it's fair to, at least, do favors to, well, since you hate the word friend, I'll just say, acquaintance," said Evie._

 _"You are such a princess, Evie," Mal said half-disrespectfully. "But I appreciate that, in my own way. Your idiosyncrasies equal that of a unique kind of villain."_

 _"Does that mean we're friends now?" Evie asked eagerly._

 _"Don't push it, Princess Blueberry," said Mal. "Until I say so, partners-in-crime will do for now."_

 _"Can I give you a hug?" Evie asked nervously. "I know it's frowned upon here, but then again, you broke the rule by being nice to me."_

 _"Okay, just this once," said Mal._

 _Evie gives Mal a hug, which the latter returned reluctantly. The two teenagers girls have become closer ever since their adventure to the Isle of the Doomed. Evie sees Mal like the sister she's never had before, while Mal secretly thinks of Evie as the best friend she's ever had since Uma and Mad Maddy. However, her bond with Evie was something else. They didn't just respect each other for their respective evil specialties. They respected each other simply for who they are. Although Mal would never admit it, she cared about Evie. Evie, meanwhile, had no issue with being open about how much she cares, which Mal secretly appreciates._

 _"Okay, that's enough," said Mal, exiting the hug. "Don't expect another one ever again."_

 _"I may not be your friend, but you are my friend," said Evie. "So, you'll be expecting another one from me someday."_

 _"Hug me again and I'll burn all of your dresses," Mal threatened._

 _Evie chuckled in response, thinking that Mal was joking. The daughter of Maleficent sighed and rolled her eyes, but smiled. Evie's mild-mannered personality clashes with her down-to-earth demeanor, and the feeling was pleasant, meaning that she would rather have Evie as a friend rather than as an enemy._

* * *

Evie finally wakes up from a deep sleep that lasted who-knows-how-long. After rubbing her eyes, she opens them and the first thing she sees is her best friend, or rather _former_ best friend, Mal. She stood there, looking down at her with a sinister smirk on her face. Evie then eyes her surroundings. They were in some sort of cave that seemed familiar to her. After taking a moment to remember, it hit her.

"This is one of the underground tunnels that the Seven Dwarfs dug," she said.

"Correct," Mal said, confirming her guess.

"W-Where are the others?" Evie asked, worried.

"Oh, they're somewhere here," said Mal vaguely.

Evie's concerned look was replaced with mild anger. "If you hurt them..."

"Don't worry. They're fine, for now," said Mal. "Carlos, however, he's not looking so hot right now. Oops, wrong choice of words."

Evie's anger was becoming even more transparent. "If you so much as scratched him..."

"Calm down, Evie," said Mal. "Have you wondered why I separated you from your friends? Well, I needed a contestant, and who better to play my next game than my best friend?"

"Me, your best friend?" Evie questioned. "If I was your best friend, then you wouldn't have turned your back on me."

"Oh, no. You don't get to pin that on me. You were the one who schemed to trap me in the library, remember?" Mal reminded her.

"Mal, I get that you're really, really, really mad about that, but turning on me, on Ben, on your friends, on Auradon is too much," said Evie. "All this death... all this chaos... it has to stop. Mal, I'm begging you, please come home."

"Sorry, but I'm having way too much fun," said Mal, speaking in the cold, spine-chilling tone that made Evie feel like she's been spooked by a ghost.

"Mal, you're sick," said Evie with concern.

"That's exactly what Carlos said to me," said Mal.

"And he's right," said Evie. "Mal, I know you better than anyone else. All this evil, it isn't who you are."

"I guess I was wrong when I said you didn't know me well. You don't know me at all," Mal replied.

"I know that your favorite color is purple. I know that you love hip-hop and rock-and-roll. I know that you hate group hugs. I know that you like to sneak out to the Enchanted Lake whenever you have trouble sleeping. And I know that you keep a diary under your bed," said Evie.

"What's the cover design?" Mal asked, testing Evie's claims.

"A black cover with your symbol. Two dragons. One purple. One green. They join together to form a heart," Evie answered as she shaped a heart with her hands. "Like I said, I know you better than anyone. You're my best friend, Mal. I never gave up on you, and I never will. Why do you think I'm trying to reach out to you now?"

"Evie, that's very touching," said Mal, looking as if she's trying to hold back her tears. "Honestly, you're making want to hug you."

"Go ahead," Evie said with her arms wide open, waiting for her friend to come closer.

"But I've made my choice, and you can't make me turn back, not when I'm so close to figuring out who I am, what I am, and what I have to do," said Mal.

Evie's hopes dropped as her arms did, feeling disappointed at herself and at Mal. For a second, she thought she was finally getting through to Mal. Alas, she could not wake up the compassion and the longing for friendship within Mal.

"I do miss you Evie, I really do," Mal said honestly. "You. Me. Jay. Carlos. After everything we've been through together, there will always be a part of me that misses what we had."

"Then come home," Evie begged.

"I'm sorry, E, but I'm afraid I can't do that, mostly because I don't want to," said Mal.

Mal picks up Evie's scabbard, draws her sword, and gives it to the blue-haired narcissist.

"What's this for?" Evie asked.

"Since I know you won't willingly play my game, this is the best kind of persuasion I can come up with," said Mal, drawing her own sword. "If you win, I let you and everyone else go unharmed. If I win, you have to play. But we both know you can't beat me."

"Doesn't mean I can't try," said Evie.

Evie holds her sword with both hands, but hesitated to move, clearly not wanting to fight. Mal takes a step forward, which causes Evie to flinch. Mal smirked because she knew she would react like that. To taunt Evie, Mal simply strikes her sword. She circles around Evie, who follows, before striking her sword again, trying to goad her into swinging back.

Evie takes a swing, but Mal blocks it. She grabs Evie's arm and throws her to the side, making her lose balance. Evie stops her nerves from shaking and slowly removes one hand from the handle. She started swinging at Mal, who had a grin on her face, obviously glad to see her opponent finally put up a fight. After clashing blades for half a minute, the two girls catch each other in a lock. Mal does a flip to the right and lands a hit on Evie's leg, leaving a small cut. Evie reacts to this, causing her to leave a wide opening. Mal strikes Evie's sword off her hand and hits her in the head with the handle, knocking her down.

Once Mal pointed the tip of her sword at her nose, Evie raises both her hands, surrendering.

"Well, I guess it's time for the real game to begin," said Mal, putting her sword back in her scabbard.

Mal leads Evie down the tunnel until they reached a crossroad. One path to the left and one to the right.

Mal begins to explain the details of her _game_. "To the left, Jay, Lonnie, Freddie, Jane, and Doug are trapped behind a wall surrounded by pixie dust mixed with my own sleeping spell. Exposed for too long and they will be sleeping for a very, very long time. To the right, you'll find Carlos tied to a chair, hanging over a pit of fire, and the rope keeping the chair hanging is breaking as we speak."

Evie gasped with horror. Considering the atrocities that Mal has caused since her descent to evil, it should be no surprise that she's willing to cross any line. However, considering that the people Mal is threatening right now are people she cares about, Evie's concern and fear are justified, especially since these people are ones Mal used to care about.

"There's no way I can save both of them, is there?" Evie guessed.

"You have one choice, Evie," said Mal. "You can choose to either save five people about to fall to a sleep-like death or save one from being burned alive."

"I'm gonna say this one more to prove my point. Mal, you're sick," said Evie.

"Make your choice fast, Evie," Mal said, disregarding Evie's insult. "You have, by my count, three minutes before the pixie dust does its work and the rope keeping Carlos from being incinerated snaps. Oh, wait, I almost forgot to mention. Once your friends fall into a deep sleep, it'll set off the magical trigger I planted that will bury them down here forever."

Mal teases Evie with a smirk and a wave before magically vanishing, leaving Evie all alone to make probably the most difficult choice in her life. She puts a hand over chest as she breathes in and out faster than usual, wondering who, if she had the chance to save both, she would save first. Carlos or her other friends?

* * *

Meanwhile, The Lost Pearl was still out of the water and heading straight for Auradon City. CJ was at the wheel, toying with pixie dust, using the upgraded Pixie Dust Amulet. It was clear that she was eager to use its new power on the city. The rest of the crew were eager as well. Zevon was just aching to throw his potions at the people below. Ginny was shining her mother's dagger, which she once used to stab Flynn Rider. Gil tests his strength on the heaviest crate on the ship.

Harry, meanwhile, was serving lunch to Uma, who is now the lone prisoner on the ship. This time, he was serving her mashed potatoes and shrimp.

"Okay, I admit. The food here on Auradon is great," said Uma, munching on a shrimp.

"And yet, we're not getting soft," said Harry, laughing at the villains' belief that good food makes them soft.

"No, it's your sister doing that to you," said Uma.

"Excuse me?" Harry reacted.

"You really think all that touchy-touchy closeness is just her being a _good_ sister?" Uma said, using air quotes when saying the word _good_. "She's trying to butter you up so you won't question her authority."

"That's not true, Uma," said Harry.

"Tell me. Is she any different than Harriet ever was?" Uma asked.

"She's the captain. It's her place to give orders," said Harry. "At least, unlike Harriet, she treats me like her blood."

"Harry, you may not know how to count, but you're smarter than this," said Uma, touching Harry's face affectionately. "Why do you think you're my favorite pirate? You're ruthless, unpredictable, and sharp-witted, I might add. Don't let CJ take away everything that makes you who you are."

"I'm still the same ruthless pirate I've always been," said Harry.

"Show me," Uma dared.

Uma slowly pulls Harry closer. Harry stares at Uma's lips as his was moved closer to them. Is this the moment he's been waiting for? Has he finally captured her heart?

Their lips move closer and closer until...

* * *

Evie was still standing in between the crossroads, unable to make a choice. If she chooses to save Carlos, she dooms Jay, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, and Freddie to an eternity of sleep and imprisonment. If she chooses to save them, she dooms Carlos to a slow, painful death. She was revolted by Mal for making her choose. No matter what she chooses, she's going to lose someone.

Just as Evie was about to break down from fear, panic, and too much thinking, she heard a loud, agonizing scream coming from the right passage.

"Carlos!" She cried.

Carlos was in pain, she can feel it. She had to make a choice now and it was a choice that she was going to regret very much. After taking a deep breath, she started running into the passage where she heard the scream. The passage was long, which made Evie more frightened of the three-minute deadline. She runs as fast as she can, heels and all, desperately looking for her friend.

"Please, be all right," she pleaded.

She made it to the end of the passage and into a cavern, only to be surprised by what she found. There was no pit of fire. There was only Carlos, tied up to a chair. The scar on his right shoulder was burning, which would explain the scream.

Evie quickly runs towards him and looks at him face-to-face with a smile, happy to see that he was all right, more or less.

"Hi," she greeted him happily.

"Hi," Carlos greeted her weakly, clearly in pain.

"I'm so glad you're alive," Evie said with joy as she hugged him tightly.

"Ow," Carlos reacted, feeling suffocated.

"Sorry," Evie apologized as she let go, but her smile remained.

Evie quickly begins to untie him.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Mal," Carlos answered. "She was here just a minute ago. She told me, _I'm sorry_ , before, well, you know." He gestured to his burning scar.

"She lied to me," Evie said.

"Mal?" Carlos asked.

"She said you were hanging over a pit of fire," said Evie. "Why would she lie?"

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, Jay was repeatedly pounding on the wall blocking entrance to the cavern he was trapped in, trying to break it. The pixie dust was starting to affect him and his friends as they yawn, feeling sleepy. Jay's punches were getting weaker as he felt sleepier with each passing second.

"Give it up, Mr. Athlete. It's no use," said Freddie pessimistically.

"Gotta... keep... trying," said Jay, speaking in between punches.

"Please hurry," Jane pleaded. "You heard the scream. It's from Carlos. I know it is."

"Judging by the volume, he's either not too far or he just screams really loud. I'm hoping it's the former," said Doug.

Lonnie draws her sword and attempts to cut open the wall, to no avail. Her swings weakened as her body did, meaning she was about to pass out any second.

"Stay with me, Lonnie," Jay begged, still punching the wall.

Just when the five friends were about to fall asleep, a sword pierces through the wall from the other side. An X was cut into the wall, followed by a kick that caused it to collapse. The five rejoiced to see their beloved king and friend, Ben, holding Excalibur in his hand.

"Ben! I'm so glad you're here," Jane cried.

Jane hugged Ben with joy, although she was also using him to keep her standing as she still felt like falling asleep.

"Good to see you too, Jane," said Ben, patting her in the back.

"Guys, look," Freddie said, pointing at the pixie dust. "The pixie dust, it's disappearing."

A few seconds later, the pixie dust vanished completely.

"That's odd," said Lonnie, yawning. "Oh, dear. I think I could use a nap."

"I think we all do," said Doug, feeling as tired as the rest. "Now I know how Sleepy feels."

Ben helps his friends out of the cavern just as they heard footsteps coming towards them. Ben keeps a firm grip on Excalibur, readying himself for hostiles. He and the rest relaxed and sigh with relief when they saw Evie, who was helping a weakened Carlos walk.

"Carlos!" Jane screamed happily.

The daughter of Fairy God Mother rushes towards her boyfriend and engulfs him in a big hug.

"Nice to see you, too," Carlos grunted, smothered by the hug. "But I think you're about to break a rib..."

"Oops! Sorry," Jane said, letting go of Carlos. "I'm so happy that you're okay. I was worried sick, like, really. I mean I was losing my mind. I didn't if you were alive or not. I was hoping that you were not dead. I was really afraid that you were..."

"Okay, Jane. Relax," Evie said, interrupting the babbling teenage girl. "He's been through a lot, I can tell."

Instead of a hug, Jane decides to kiss Carlos on the cheek, feeling that it is a better method of comfort. The smile on Carlos' face tells her that he liked it. He was about to collapse, until Jane caught him and helped him stand up, putting his arm around her as she put her arm around him.

Evie takes a moment to enjoy the sight of true love before facing her other friends. She walks straight to her boyfriend, Doug, and gives him a hug, which he returns. Doug wanted to tell Evie that she was hugging him too tightly, but decided against it, knowing that she was probably so worried about him that she wanted him as close to her as possible.

"I'm glad to see that you're all safe," said Evie happily.

"Thanks to Ben," said Jay. "And Excalibur? Where did you get that? I thought Uma hid it."

"It showed up on Arthur's doorstep without explanation, but he kindly lent it to me when I asked him for it," Ben answered. "Let me guess. Mal took you all down here."

"Obviously," Freddie replied after a yawn.

"But how did you know where were down here?" Jane asked the king.

"Someone left me an anonymous message on my phone," Ben answered. "It told me to come down here and bring Excalibur with me. I'm guessing it was the only way to break through the wall."

"But who could've known we were down here?" Evie wondered.

"We'll have to find out later," said Ben. "Right now, we have to check on Auradon City."

"Why? What's happening at Auradon City?" Lonnie asked.

"I received another anonymous message, probably from the same person who told me where to find you guys," Ben answered. "CJ and her crew are about to attack, which means we have to go now."

* * *

The Lost Pearl finally arrives at Auradon City. CJ looks down from above, fiddling with the amulet, preparing to unleash its power. Just as she was about to, a beam of magic shot up from below and hit The Lost Pearl. The silver sparkles that signified the ship's state of invisibility disappeared, meaning that the ship has now become visible to the human eye. They can hear some screaming from below the city. The people were frightened to see a pirate ship floating above them.

"They can see us," said CJ.

"But how is that possible?" Ginny wondered.

"I think it's because of Fairy God Mother," said Gil.

"How do you know that?" Zevon asked.

"She's down there," said Gil, pointing down to where Fairy God Mother is.

Fairy God Mother was at the heart of Auradon City. Gil was wrong, however. Fairy God Mother was not the one who removed the invisibility spell from The Lost Pearl. It was Merlin, who was holding his magic wand. The two were accompanied by an army of knights, who were armed with crossbows and arrows. The arrows were attached to ropes, which is a clear sign that they intend to harpoon the ship and climb on it.

"Where's Harry?" CJ asked loudly.

On cue, Harry came flying out of door to ship's interior, crashing and tumbling on the floor, seemingly in pain. Uma reveals herself and playfully spins the key ring on her finger, explaining how she escaped from her cell. CJ was, no doubt, furious by the sight of this.

"Harry!" CJ shouted.

"Don't worry," said Harry, drawing his sword. "I can handle this, captain."

Holding on to her seashell necklace, Uma magically pushes Harry towards a pile of crates. She grabs a rope and ties one end of it around the railing.

"Good luck," Uma teased.

She jumps off the ship and swings down. She let go and safely lands on top of a tall building. She looks up at The Lost Pearl and waves at CJ's crew in teasing fashion.

"Harry!" CJ shouted again.

"Sorry!" Harry replied.

Down on the ground, Fairy God Mother asks Merlin to lower the ship to the ground. Merlin waves his wand and sends another magical wave at the ship. Just when it looked like Merlin was about to ground the ship, CJ taps into her amulet's power and keeps the pixie dust spell active, countering Merlin's magic and keeping the ship airborne, if barely. Merlin's magic was far too strong to be easily overcome.

"Harry, get us out of here!" CJ ordered.

"Aye, aye, captain," Harry obeyed.

Harry gets behind the wheel and steers the ship away from Auradon City. The knight below quickly fired their crossbows. Their arrows successfully hit the ship, but it was too late. Thanks to CJ's amulet, the pixie dust surrounding The Lost Pearl increased its speed, pulling the arrows' ropes far away from the knights before they can start climbing.

"I don't understand it," said CJ, furious. "How could they have known?"

Before anyone can answer, CJ receives a text message from Mal. It said, _"When you're done playing, meet me at Charmington."_

"We'll discuss this later," said CJ. "Now, Harry, what have you got to say for yourself?"

Harry crouches a little, trying to hide his face behind the wheel. He felt ashamed for being the one responsible for Uma's escape. Just seeing his sister's angry and disappointed face made him feel even more ashamed.

 **Who was the anonymous messenger who told Ben that his friends were trapped in the Seven Dwarfs' tunnels?** **How did Fairy God Mother and Merlin know that Auradon City was about to be attacked by CJ and her villain kid crew? How did Uma steal the keys from Harry to escape?** **Why did Mal lie to Evie about Carlos hanging over a pit of fire? How did Ben get his hands on Excalibur when Uma stole it in the previous story, "The Kids From The Isle"?**

 **So many questions, right? You can provide an answer, via a review, if you wish. I'd honestly like to know what you're guessing.**


	29. Can I Have This Dance?

**I would like to apologize in advance for what you might read in this chapter. You'll figure out soon why I needed to. Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Quartz Rider, danifan3000, DragonEmperor999, xez2003, top story, davengirl67, TheGreatGodzilla**

 _Ten months ago..._

 _As they do a few times every week, Evie and Carlos meet in Carlos' secret laboratory, or tree house, so Carlos can teach Evie more about science. Right now, he was showing her the new power source he built to increased the power of the device that he used once to punch a hole in the barrier. He then started explaining the process of how he built it._

 _"... and if you're able to bypass all of the triggers' protocol and terminate the synchronized electrolytic reaction to activate the electro-genic sequence..."_

 _Carlos stopped talking when Evie started laughing for no reason. While he admits that she looks adorable when laughs, he was still bugged about being interrupted._

 _"Okay, I understood literally none of that," said Evie, laughing in between words._

 _Carlos was smiling too much to be mad at her. He knew her job was just to sit next to him and act stupid while he talks about science-y stuff, but he is so confused about why her expressions about her idiocy would make him blush like he is now._

 _"You built a power source to make your anti-barrier device work better next time. Isn't that simple enough of an explanation?" Evie said._

 _"Well, if you're bored, what do you wanna do?" Carlos asked._

 _Evie playfully pokes Carlos' device as a thought runs through her head. "Do you like to dance?"_

 _"I... don't dance very well," said Carlos._

 _"Well, my mother gave me tips on ballroom dancing, just in case I ever meet a prince one day," said Evie. "Maybe it's time I teach you."_

 _"No, really, tha-that's not necessary," said Carlos. "Besides, i-i-it w-would b-b-be weird to be dancing a r-romantic dance with someone who is j-j-j-j-just a friend."_

 _"Come here," Evie said as she grabbed Carlos' hand, pulling him up._

 _Evie grabs a record player from her bag and played a record titled "Only You"._

 _"Where did you get that?" Carlos asked._

 _"A favor from Yen Sid," Evie answered. "I told him that I wanted to teach someone here on the Isle how to dance."_

 _"So, wait, you snuck a high-quality record here on the Isle for me?" Carlos asked._

 _"Just shut up and take my hand," said Evie, holding her hand out._

 _Evie kicks the "play" button on the record player, playing the record. As the music started, Evie puts Carlos' hand on her waist, which made him turn red. She then puts her hand on his shoulder, only to notice that he was keeping his distance, definitely still feeling awkward about the position they're currently in. She smirks and pulls him closer, causing Carlos to turn even redder. She struggled not to giggle at the sight of this._

Looking for the window above, it's like a story of love  
Can you hear me?  
Came back only yesterday  
I'm looking further away  
Want you near me

 _Evie started slow by dancing in circles with Carlos. Between the romantic lyrics of the song and the pressure Evie is forcing him to put on her waist, Carlos wanted so bad to escape, but for some reason, he couldn't. He was actually enjoying himself, as evidenced by his footsteps synchronizing with Evie's, meaning he was starting to get into the feel of the music._

All I needed was the love you gave  
All I needed for another day  
And all I ever knew  
Only you

 _Evie started dancing faster, and Carlos followed. Evie started spinning away from Carlos, and then, with their hands still locked together, pulls and spins herself back to him. Carlos was amazed by her grace. Her mother taught her well, he thought._

Sometimes when I think of her name  
When it's only a game  
And I need you  
Listen to the words that you say  
It's getting harder to stay  
When I see you

All I needed was the love you gave  
All I needed for another day  
And all I ever knew  
Only you

 _Carlos twirls Evie around, which she then did to him afterwards. They danced forward and backward with perfect chemistry, following each other's moves precisely. Carlos was no longer blushing, but the rapid beating of his heart remained. Evie didn't need to put her hand on his chest to know how he is feeling. He's still embarrassed about all this, but he was only enjoying himself more and more as the music went on. Evie pulls him closer to her as she rests her head on his shoulder, which only made him blush again, as well as smiling nervously. He didn't care, though. He just danced._

 _Unbeknownst to the two, Mal was watching them. She was coming to meet with them when she heard music. Instead of barging in through the hatch, she climbs up another tree and watches them through the only window in the tree house. She sat on a tree branch with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her face._

 _"Toss in the off-the-charts chemistry and you got a match made in hell," she commented._

* * *

All he could see was fire. All he could feel was pain. All he could say was a scream that epitomizes his pain. So much screaming. So much pain. So much fire. So much... darkness. He could no longer keep his eyes closed and opened them as he let out a scream that nearly matched what he heard in his nightmares.

"Carlos!" Jane exclaimed, surprised by her boyfriend waking up and screaming.

Carlos tries to breath as Jane holds his hand. The other teenagers - Jay, Ben, Lonnie, and Freddie - ended their discussion to check on their traumatized friend. Dude jumped on the couch and sat on his master's lap.

"Now that you're awake, can you scratch my butt?" Dude asked.

"Not now, Dude," said Carlos, feeling too traumatized to be annoyed.

"Man, are you okay?" Jay asked. "You just started wriggling and moaning and muttering the words _fire_ , _scars_ , _pain_ , and Mal's name."

"Carlos, what did she do to you?" Jane asked, concerned and curious.

"I think the two M's on my shoulder are enough of a hint," Carlos said, refusing to go further into detail of his torment.

"The scar on your cheek, it's disappearing," Lonnie pointed out curiously.

"That was Harry's work," Carlos said. "Mal healed it."

"So, she does still care," Ben said hopefully. "That's good. That's very good. That means that there's still hope for her. All is not lost."

"I wish I can believe that," said Carlos hopelessly. "What I saw during my entire time as a prisoner was not Mal. Maybe she does still care, I don't know, but it's not her... It's not her..."

Carlos buries his head in his hands as the nightmares came back. Not one person in the room didn't sympathize with him. They could only imagine what torture he went through that made him the anxious, mentally-scared boy they see before them.

"Carlos, look at me," Jane asked.

Carlos looks at Jane, who smiled at him. He smiled back at her, knowing she hated seeing him upset.

"You're home. You're safe. With us. With me," said Jane happily and calmly. "You have nothing to be worry about anymore. We're all here with you. We're here for you. If you ever need a hug or a shoulder to cry on, you can ask any of us."

"I'm asking you now," Carlos said, staring lovingly into Jane's eyes, desperate for comfort.

Jane grants Carlos' wish and pulls him closer for a hug. He buries his face on her shoulder as he tries to block the nightmares in his head. Everyone else smiles at the sight. Apparently, true love can cure anything, even trauma.

"I guess she's more than just a blabber mouth after all," Dude commented.

Carlos rolls his eyes at Dude's words, but smiled anyway. After the hug, he noticed someone was missing from the room.

"Guys, where's Evie?" He asked.

"Probably sulking in her dorm," Jay answered. "She's almost as messed up as you are. I'm guessing it's because of that fight you two had. She's obviously not over it."

"She just ran out of here crying like one of those drama queens on TV. Her dwarf boyfriend followed her," said Dude. "Look, the best way to get a girl to forgive you is to tell her that she's right."

Carlos looks at Jane and asks, "Do you mind if I go?"

"Not at all," Jane answered.

"When you come back, can I get that butt scratch?" Dude asked.

"Don't suppose anyone else wants to fulfill that request?" Carlos asked everyone, not really wanting to be the one to give Dude what he's asking for.

Everyone just looked away, clearly not wanting to do it for him.

* * *

Evie was walking very fast towards Auradon Prep, wiping the tears off her face. Doug has been following her since she stormed out of the castle, calling her name, but she refused to stop and talk to him. Doug stopped walking and started running, finally catching up to his girlfriend.

"We seriously need to talk," said Doug.

"Isn't the girl supposed to say that to the guy?" Evie joked sarcastically, tears and all.

"Look, Carlos is back. He's okay. You don't have to be worried anymore," said Doug.

"That's all you came here to say? Pointing out the obvious?" Evie questioned, still emotionally struggling. "I'm sensing more than just comfort here."

Doug kept his lips shut, but then remembered an important lesson. Honesty is the best policy.

"You told us that Mal gave you a choice with limited time. Save us or save Carlos. You chose Carlos. Why?" Doug asked.

"Mal made him scream. I reacted," Evie explained.

"I know. We heard the scream, too," said Doug. "But regardless, you chose him. You left us, left me to suffer a never-ending sleep."

Evie comes to the conclusion that Doug believes she would leave him, the man she loves, to suffer in order to save.

She attempts to explain herself. "Doug, it is not what you think..."

"No, I get it," Doug interrupted her. "Last time you saw Carlos, you two had a fight. You were put in a difficult position where you lose no matter what you choose. I think that you chose him because you didn't want that fight to be the last words between the two of you. You didn't want him to go thinking that you hate him. I understand."

"You do?" Evie asked.

"I may be your boyfriend, but he's your best friend," said Doug. "I may be the jealous type, I admit, but I can be a pretty understanding guy."

Evie finally smiled, even if it was a little. Doug gives Evie a kiss on the cheek to make her smile bigger. This shocks Evie because this was the first time he kissed her first. She thinks of this as the sign that their relationship has reached the next level.

"I'll, uh, leave you alone then," said Doug. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," said Evie.

* * *

Instead of going to her dorm, Evie, for some reason, went to her locker. While it has been cleared of school supplies after the school year ended, it was not cleared of the pictures she pinned inside it. There was a picture of her and Mal. There was a picture of her and Doug at the Cotillion. There was a group picture of her with Mal, Jay, and Carlos. She then lays her eyes on the picture that made her drop the smile on her face. It was a selfie that she took with Carlos after Ben's coronation.

That day was the beginning of their new lives. Despite what the selfie would indicate, she and Carlos, while very close, were not as close as everyone would think. It was only when Carlos pointed it out that she realized that they were slowly drifting apart since she became friends with Mal and started a relationship with Doug. She had deluded herself for six months that she and Carlos were still as close as they were back on the Isle of the Lost.

"You looked beautiful in that dress."

Evie didn't need to turn around to know who the voice belongs to. After her lips curved into a smile, she turned around to confirm her guess. It was Carlos.

"But that would be an insult, considering you look beautiful in any dress, like the one you wore at the Cotillion," he said.

Evie blushed in response, prompting her to look away, trying to hide her embarrassed but flattered expression.

"Are you okay?" Carlos asked.

"Me? Are _you_ okay?" Evie replied. "You were imprisoned and tortured for three days, and you're asking _me_ if I'm okay?"

"Dude said you were crying when you ran out of the castle," said Carlos. "Since he's cursed forever to tell the truth, I couldn't ignore this, ignore you."

"I'm fine," said Evie, wiping her eyes dry.

"No, you're not," said Carlos. "Evie, I'm right here. This is not a dream. I'm really here. With you."

"I know that," said Evie.

"Then why are you crying?" Carlos asked.

"Because... because..." Evie can feel the tears building up in her eyes again as she lets out what she needed say. "Because you're supposed to hate me."

"Is this is about..." Carlos didn't finish, as he knew that Evie knew what they're both thinking about.

"You were right," Evie admitted. "I cared more about my image than I did about Mal. I let my fear of her changing Auradon's view on VKs consume me that I thought locking up my own best friend was the right thing to do. I was an idiot for thinking that, and I was an idiot for disagreeing with you. On top of all that, I am the worst person on the planet for ending our friendship."

"Evie, you're not," said Carlos honestly.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," said Evie, unable to shake off the belief of the kind of person she is.

Evie turns around because she didn't want Carlos to see her cry, which is what she was doing right now. Carlos wanted to leave her alone so she can recover in peace, but he knew that was a selfish choice because he just wanted to do the same thing she is doing right now, which is wallow in self-pity alone.

Seeing the speaker attached to the wall, Carlos comes up with an idea of what to do next. He takes out his phone and turns on an app he programmed that would allow him to hack into any nearby systems. Right now, he is hacking into the school's PA system. He then switches to his phone's music playlist to play a song.

Evie stops crying when she heard music playing via the PA system. She turns around to see Carlos holding out his hand, waiting for her to take it.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked.

Instead of an answer, Evie reponds by taking his hand. The second she did, Carlos pulled her closer. He puts his hand around her waist, making her blush and let out a breath of confusion as she stared into his chocolate brown eyes. He just smiled at her as he started slow-dancing. She decided to follow, unable to resist the temptation to dance due to the music.

 _Take my hand, take a breathe  
Pull me close and take one step  
Keep your eyes locked on mine  
And let the music be your guide_

 _Won't you promise me (now won't you promise me, that you'll never forget)  
We'll keep dancing (to keep dancing)  
Wherever we go next_

Evie finally smiles as she dances faster. Carlos twirls her, and then she does the same to him. For extra fun, they hold on to each other's hands and twirl each other. As if they weren't enjoying themselves enough, they started singing along.

 **Evie/Carlos**

 _It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding someone like you  
It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do  
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better  
So can I have this dance? (Can I have this dance?)  
Can I have this dance?_

Carlos holds both of Evie's hips and lifts her up in the air. Evie spreads her arms wide as she gracefully dances while in the air. They twirl each other again as they get into the shadow position. They spin around as they hold each other tight. Evie then twirls herself away from Carlos. He holds out his hand again, and she did not hesitate to take it again.

 **Carlos**

 _Take my hand, I'll take the lead  
And every turn will be safe with me  
Don't be afraid, afraid to fall  
You know I'll catch you through it all_

Evie pretends to fall. Carlos catches her. He carries her bridal style and spins with grace before letting her down. She caresses his cheek with her hand as they continued to dance.

 **Carlos (Evie)**

 _And you can't keep us apart (even a thousand miles can't keep us apart)  
Cause my heart is (cause my heart is) wherever you are_

 **Evie/Carlos**

 _It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding someone like you  
It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do  
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better  
So can I have this dance? (Can I have this dance?)  
Can I have this dance?_

After one more twirl, Carlos stopped dancing, although the music went on. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a ring. It wasn't just any ring. It was the ruby ring he gave to her back on the Isle of the Lost. The symbol of their friendship. Evie gasped, surprised that he kept it in spite of what she did to him.

Carlos then asks the question he wanted to ask her.

"Evie, will you make me the happiest man alive and take me back as your best friend, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part?"

Evie giggles, amused that he chose to ask her the question in the form of a marriage proposal.

"Yes. Yes. Yes!" She answered.

Carlos holds Evie's hand and slips the ring on her finger. Overwhelmed with joy, Evie gives Carlos a big hug. He saw it coming and hugged her as well. They listened to the music as they held each other close like they never did before. The hug ended when the music ended, but the silence could not dampen the uplifting mood the two are spreading to each other.

Unbeknownst to the two best friends, someone was watching them. Keeping her purple locks hidden in the shadows and blocking half her face with a tree, Mal had been watching them dance and smile at each other. She can't help but feel happy that they've reconciled. But that wasn't what bothered her. There was an aching feeling in her chest watching the two of them hold on to each other like the best friends that they are.

Not wishing to contemplate on this any further, she disappears.

 **I did leave an apology in the beginning of this chapter, after all. I could've chosen another way for Evie and Carlos to reconcile, but I really wanted to do it this way. Don't worry. The next chapter will continue Mal's part of the story. On the bright side, Evie and Carlos are best friends again.**

 **On an unrelated note, I like High School Musical.**

 **"Only You" by Yazoo**

 **"Can I Have This Dance?" by Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens**


	30. Trust No One But Yourself

**Now, we return to the main plot of the story. Last we saw Mal, she was watching Evie and Carlos repair their friendship and she had an aching feeling while watching. What is that feeling, you ask? Well, you'll get an answer here. Enjoy.**

 **WARNING: This chapter flirts with drinking.**

 **A/N: This is the last chapter of the story to use the flashback element.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Quartz Rider, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, xez2003, Mustang52, davengirl67**

 _One year ago..._

 _Mal struts down the streets with her very own gang of villain kids. Jay, son of Jafar. Ginny, daughter of Mother Gothel. Yzla, daughter of Yzma. Just seeing the four of them makes all the poor souls on the Isle run back to their homes._

 _"You don't look happy today, Mal," said Ginny._

 _"No, I'm really not," said Mal._

 _"Well, once we pull off this heist at Hook's place, you will be," said Jay. "That is the plan, right?"_

 _"Don't tell me you've forgotten about it?"_

 _"You lost me after, we're gonna steal Captain Hook's hook," said Jay._

 _Mal sighs in annoyance. "You're gonna wait on the roof until I give the signal. I'll be sneaking around the back to cover our escape route. Yzla and Ginny will walk through the front door and create a distraction."_

 _"This is gonna be big," said Yzla, excited. "Old Hooky's gonna give up everything just to get his hook back."_

 _"Including the deed to his Inlet," Mal said._

 _"What are you planning to do with that place anyway?" Ginny asked._

 _"It's a surprise," said Mal._

 _Mal and her gang soon arrived at Hook's Inlet. Mal pushes a fisherman into the water just for the fun of it. Her gang didn't hesitate to laugh in amusement. Mal goes around the back while Jay started climbing. Yzla and Ginny walk through the front door together, exchanging subtle evil smiles._

 _"Welcome to Captain Hook's Inlet. How am I help you?" Mr. Smee asked, who worked as the cashier of the shop._

 _"We would like to speak to Captain Hook himself," said Ginny. "It's important."_

 _"But he's taking his afternoon nap," said Mr. Smee._

 _"Look, either call him or we'll drag him to Tick-Tock's waters and pin it on you," Yzla threatened._

 _"Well, if you wish..." Mr. Smee talks through the ear trumpet on the wall, which is connected to another in Captain Hook's room. "Captain, you have visitors."_

 _Yzla looks up and sees Jay sneaking in through a hole in the ceiling. Mal peers around the corner of the doorway to the back room, making sure the girls know that she is inside. Jay tip-toes on a ledge just as Captain Hook emerged from his room, rubbing his eyes, obviously tired._

 _"What is it? What do you girls want?" He asked sleepily._

 _"The deed to the place," Ginny answered._

 _"Ha!" Captain Hook felt amused. "You think you girlies can just waltz in here and demand me, Captain Hook, to turn over my inlet?"_

 _"Yes, we think we can," said Yzla._

 _All of a sudden, teenage pirates came out of their hiding places and surrounded the two girls, pointing their swords at her. Jay was scratching his head in confusion, but he stayed hidden. Harriet Hook, the eldest daughter and eldest child of Captain Hook, comes downstairs with a proud expression on her face._

 _"Daddy, go back to bed. The little ones have to talk," said Harriet._

 _"Well, I have no time for this anyway," said Hook, returning upstairs to continue to nap._

 _Mal comes out of the back room door with her signature evil smirk on her face. Harriet Hook approaches Mal and gives her what appears to be a silver trinket._

 _"Pleasure doing business with you, for once," said Harriet._

 _"Likewise," Mal replied._

 _"What the heck is going on here, Mal?" Ginny asked, angry and confounded._

 _"Yeah," Jay said, jumping down from above. "What is going on here?"_

 _"Oh, we were never here to steal Captain Hook's hook," said Mal. "I just came here to give Harriet what she wants. Revenge."_

 _"On those two?" Jay asked, pointing at the two girls surrounding by Harriet's crew._

 _"They stole some valuable trinkets from me, and I want them back," said Harriet._

 _"Okay, but why the silver trinket?" Jay asked, still confused._

 _"It's just a little something Harriet stole from me when we were 8," Mal answered. She faces Yzla and Ginny and says, "Oh, and just so you know, you're both out."_

 _"Why, Mal? Why would you sell us out?" Ginny asked, enraged._

 _"You two didn't think I would know about that little prank you pulled on me last month?" Mal said. "I know about the water bucket and the slime trail. I had to wash my hair for two hours straight, should you know. Then I decided that if I can't trust my gang, I shouldn't have one. I guess it just goes to show that, here on the Isle of the Lost, the only one you can trust is yourself."  
_

 _Mal throws the silver trinket at Ginny, which pierced her on the shoulder, causing her to grunt in pain. Mal waves at the girls before walking out of the inlet, leaving Harriet to do whatever she wants. Jay followed Mal, needing to ask her some questions about what just happened._

 _"Mal, hey, what about me? What about the gang?" He asked, running towards her._

 _"There is no more gang, Jay. You can go back to thieving on your own," Mal said._

 _"But why? I mean, I like rolling solo, but hanging out with you is a lot of fun, really," Jay said. "Why break up the band?"_

 _"Like I said, I can't trust anyone," said Mal._

 _Mal knocks Jay's beanie off his head as she walks away, feeling better now that she works alone. She prefers it this way._

* * *

Harry was about to grab himself a mug full of spicy cider, only to walk into the dining room to see Mal sitting on the table, looking inebriated while holding a mug full of cider in her hand. She drinks the whole thing until it was empty before tossing the mug out the window. The other couple holes in the window suggest that she's drank two full mugs of cider before throwing them away.

Mal grabs another mug and fills it up, only to be disappointed when the cider stopped flowing and the mug was only a quarter full. Despite knowing that the cider dispenser was obviously empty, that didn't stop Mal from smacking it off the table in frustration. She does, however, proceed to drink every single drop in the mug. After wiping her lips clean, she was about to throw the mug out the window, until Harry grabs her wrist.

"I think that's our last mug," said Harry, taking the mug away from Mal.

"Oh, Harry, you slimy scallywag," Mal said, sounding and looking sozzled. She couldn't remain stoic after what appears to be three-and-a-quarter mugs of spicy cider. "Trying to get touchy even after our last encounter, very bold of you."

"A pirate would never say this, but I think you've had too much to drink," said Harry.

"Okay, that's funny," Mal laughed. "Harry Hook, son of Captain Hook, who tried to recreate our cider-induced romantic moment a few days ago, is telling me that I've had enough."

Harry chuckled, only for that chuckle to die immediately, unable to feel amused at the reminder for some reason.

"Oh, Harry, you're such a charming rascal," Mal continued, still feeling the effects of the cider. "If I could love you, I would. I just don't want to."

Mal plants a five-second kiss on Harry's cheek before walking out the door. Harry just touched his cheek with his hook, feeling pleased and dumbfounded at the same time. Sure, he's seen her this intoxicated before, but there was something strange about her behavior other than just being uncharacteristically flirty with him.

Suddenly, Mal's hands sparkled as fire flashed and lit up on the floorboards. Harry had to rush and stomp the flames out. It didn't stop there, however. With every step Mal took, she left a trail of fire. Knowing his boots will be incinerated before he can extinguish all of them, he pushes a barrel of cider out the door. He pokes a hole and dumps all the cider on the floor, taking out the flames.

Mal walks out of the deck, still leaving fire after each footstep. The spill of cider reached the deck and continued to douse the flames as the cause stopped walking.

"Are you out of your mind, luv?" Harry asked. "You could've burned the whole ship to ashes."

"Luv?" Mal replied with a pout. "Why do you call many women that, Harry? Do you expect one of them to fawn over you, hoping she might be the one, or do you just want them to gush for sport?"

"What the heck is going on here?" CJ asked, jumping down from the quarterdeck.

"Mal almost burned down the ship, that's what happened," said Ginny, having noticed the flames.

Mal started laughing for no reason, which unsettles everyone on the ship.

"How much cider did you drink, Malsy?" asked CJ.

"So much that the dining room window is half broken," Harry answered the question.

Mal continued to laugh as she walked to the edge to stare at the blue waters.

"Okay, I'm seriously creeped out," said Gil.

"What's so funny?" Zevon asked the laughing sorceress.

"You wanna know what's funny?" Mal replied. "You really wanna know what's so funny? The fact that too much of that vile liquid is all I needed to open my eyes."

"What truth?" asked Zevon.

"I snuck out of the ship last night," Mal said.

"You did what?!" CJ asked, feeling a bit frustrated by her secrecy.

"I went to Auradon Prep to look for opportunity or just some drama worth watching. I found both," Mal continued. "For the past week, I believed embracing the dark side of me was a key part in my journey to self-discovery. I believed that distancing myself physically and emotionally from the people I once called family is the fuel I needed to reach the end of my journey faster..."

"Get to the point, Mal," Ginny interrupted, growing bored of the monologue.

"What I found, what I felt last night, I realize that all this, my betrayal, my alliance with you worthless, slimy, pathetic sea urchins, is just me taking the path between what's right and what's wrong."

Harry, Gil, Ginny, and Zevon all looked offended by the insult. CJ, meanwhile, was losing her patience and temper.

"Mal, I know you're feeling woozy from the cider, but can you try to make more sense with what you're saying?" CJ asked.

"You wanna know what else is funny?" Mal replied. "The fact that I betrayed you even before realization struck me today."

"Wait, what?" All the villain kids asked simultaneously, feeling confused.

"Do you wanna know why Fairy God Mother and Merlin were at Auradon City, expecting you to attack?" Mal continued, still under the influence of the cider. "I tipped them off. I told Ben that you were coming."

"You did what?!" CJ shouted.

"Oh, don't worry. I made sure Ben wasn't there. No, he was busy saving his friends from my twisted game," Mal said nonchalantly, laughing afterwards.

"You... betrayed us? You betrayed me, your captain?" CJ asked, the feeling of betrayal present on her face and in her tone.

"Captain of what? Bilge rats?" Mal insulted. "I was right to betray you, because you were all nothing but a means to an end. Now that I see the truth behind my decisions, the truth behind my mistakes, I don't need you anymore."

CJ draws her sword in self-defense, expecting Mal to make a move.

"One eye sees all but sees none, bring me what I want to be undone," Mal chanted.

Mal holds her hand out and magically calls for the Pixie Dust Amulet. It flies out of CJ's new but temporary coat and lands in her hand.

"Mal, hand over the amulet," CJ ordered.

"You know, you never really learned haven't you?" Mal said. "Freddie left you because you're such a pig head of a captain. You had all the time to learn your lesson, but you still haven't. I wouldn't be surprised if Harry chooses Uma over you."

Mal tosses the amulet in the air and throws a fireball at it, damaging it. As the broken amulet fell to the floor, Mal snaps her fingers and vanishes. The purple cloud that formed from her vanishing act left behind a small fire that grew bigger with each passing second. Harry tried stomping it out, but it burned through his boot, singing his foot.

"Find some water! Now!" Harry ordered.

Gil, Ginny, and Zevon ran to find some water barrels to extinguish the fire. However, after emptying three barrels, the fire continues to roar, threatening to burn the ship until it sinks into the ocean.

CJ quickly grabs the damaged amulet. It still had some power in it, so she decides to use it.

"Everyone, hold on the other side of the deck!" CJ ordered.

The entire crew hold on to the railing opposite to where the fire is. Using the remaining power of the amulet, CJ commands the pixie dust to form into a hand and push the ship sideways. The side of the ship that was on fire was pushed into the water. CJ and her crew held on to the railing to keep themselves from falling into the water.

Ginny loses grip of the railing and falls, only for Gil to catch her, keeping a tight grip on her arm.

Over a minute later, the water had extinguished the flame. CJ then commands the magical hand to pull the ship back in its proper position. By the time the entire deck of The Lost Pearl was out of the water, the Pixie Dust Amulet died. CJ shakes it in an effort to reawaken the magic, but it was no use. In frustration, she tosses it into the ocean.

"Mal betrayed us," Ginny growled. "And to think, I trusted her again, yet she turned her back on me again."

"I always wondered why you two stopped hanging," said Gil.

"I don't know about you, but I feel paravlexed," said Zevon.

"Perplexed!" Everyone, including Gil, corrected him.

"But why would she abandon us?" Harry wondered. "I get that she had too much cider, but did that have to motivate her to betray us and leave us for dead?"

"She's been going behind our backs this whole time," CJ said with anger as she stared at the horizon. "And to think, I invited her on board because I thought that I had succeeded in turning her to the dark side."

"What do you think she saw last night?" Gil wondered. "Whatever it was, I think it's why she left."

"Forget that," said CJ. "Mal knows our big plan, so we have to change our strategy. Harry, get behind the wheel and turn this ship to back to the harbor. Gil, Zevon, make sure the sails are in good condition. Ginny, get more rope. We might need it."

CJ turns around to see that no one has made a move. Everyone was looking at her strangely.

"Get moving!" CJ ordered.

The crew ran to their positions, doing as they were told to do. CJ, meanwhile, continued to stare a the horizon as her blood boiled with anger from Mal's betrayal.

"You think you can turn on us without paying the price, Malsy?" She soliloquized. "Well, I think it's time you pay the price, not with a lesson but..." CJ draws her sword and stares at her reflection on the blade. "...with blood."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Beast Castle, Ben called for another meeting at the conference room. As he waited for his friends to show up, he thinks about the situation and how he can remedy it. Mal had killed more than a hundred of innocent people, yet he is still wishing he could save her and bring her back home so they can get married. Is love really blind?

He stopped contemplating when he heard the door open. All of his friends arrived, except for one.

"Where's Carlos?" Ben asked.

"He didn't feel like coming," Jay answered. "He's still messed up, Ben. He can't stop having nightmares and daymares."

"Don't worry. Dude is with him," said Jane.

"So, what's tonight's topic?" Evie asked as she sat down.

"It's about heading into the waters ourselves to look for CJ's ship," Ben answered.

"About time," Jay replied.

"Indeed, it is," Ben agreed. "Before we begin, does anyone..."

Ben was interrupted when a puff of purple smoke came out of nowhere. When the purple smoke cleared, everyone in the room saw the very person who has been the primary cause of their emotional turmoils as of late.

Mal.

"Hi, everyone," she greeted them.

 **Mal's back! But is she really back on the heroes' side? You'll find out in the next chapter.**


	31. Broken Trust

**I am so sorry about the cliffhanger in the last chapter, but now you don't have to wait anymore. How will Ben and the rest handle Mal's "return" to the good side? Will they welcome her back with open arms, or will they be cautious with her? Read, enjoy, and find out.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Quartz Rider, Mustang52, TheGreatGodzilla, davengirl67, xez2003, CarvieCamfia**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Okay, I agree that Mal should get her comeuppance for all the evil she's done, but death of any kind is just... too dark, even for me. Besides, Mal is the heart and soul of the Descendants universe. Without her, well...**

Everyone in the room was silent as Mal smirked and stared at them. This moment reminded her of when she came back from the dead. Between the sickly smile on her face and everyone's shocked expressions, she felt like she just traveled back in time.

Mal steps forward as Evie approaches her at the same time.

Everyone in the room was expecting Evie to give Mal a hug, until...

Evie swings her fist across Mal's face, punching her down to the floor. Jay and Lonnie grab Evie's arms and hold her back while Mal picks herself up from the floor. She wipes the blood off her lip and takes a moment to look at the red fluid on her thumb, shocked by both Evie's reaction to her arrival and how hard her punch was.

"I deserve that," said Mal.

"Yeah, yeah you do," Evie agreed with contempt.

"You better tell us what you're doing here, Mal, or we're gonna have to let Evie go all Evil Queen on you," said Jay.

Mal faces the others and says, "Give us the room."

Everyone exchanged looks and remained silent, unsure of how to respond to Mal's request.

"Please?" Mal pleaded sarcastically.

Ben, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, and Freddie all decided to leave the room to give Mal some alone time with the disgruntled Evie and the currently iffy Jay. When the doors were opened, the AKs (and Freddie) saw Carlos about to grab the door handle. He squeezes his way through the crowd only to see a sight that made him want to run out the door. Mal.

"Hey, Snowball," Mal greeted. "Miss me?"

Evie frees her arm from Jay's grip and runs in front of Carlos, shielding him from Mal.

"Stay away from him," Evie said defensively.

"Yeah, what she said," Jay said, standing in front of Evie to shield both her and Carlos.

"Calm now. I'm not here to fight," Mal said calmly.

"Then what the heck are you doing here?" Evie asked, demanding an answer and staying close to Carlos.

Mal inhales deeply and exhales calmly before giving her _friends_ an explanation.

"The reason I abandoned you all is because I felt that I could not discover who I am around the people who made me feel that I don't belong with them," Mal started. "I was aware that I changed, but I embraced that change. I had good intentions, even if it meant sacrificing my soul for the good of the kingdom. I was ready. I joined CJ because I thought that I needed people I can be myself around in order to understand the meaning behind my resurrection. I never had the intention of putting your names on the casualty list."

"You certainly have a funny way of convincing us," Evie snapped.

"Mal, I get that you're ticked off about the whole library imprisonment thing, but killing people and hurting your own friends, it's way too far," said Jay. "All these crimes are worthy of execution, you know."

"I know," Mal said, hanging her head in shame.

"So, why'd you come back?" Evie asked.

"I saw what happened last night," Mal answered.

Evie and Carlos exchanged surprised looks, knowing what Mal was talking. Jay, meanwhile, was simply confused.

"It made me think about all the evil I've done, and I realized that I have been fooling myself into believing that I've been blinding myself of who I was," said Mal. "I told CJ I'm out and set her ship on fire before coming here."

"And on the off chance that they didn't drown?" Jay asked.

"Then they'll be back for revenge. Typical villain stuff and all that," said Mal.

"We'll be ready," said Jay confidently.

"We will," Mal agreed.

"I'm sorry. We?" Evie questioned contemptuously. "You don't get to poof in here unannounced and expect us to welcome you back with smiles and hugs."

"I know that saying, I'm sorry, is not gonna fix the broken trust between us," said Mal. "But believe me when I say that I am here to set things right."

"I believe you," said Carlos.

Evie and Jay looked at Carlos with shocked expressions on their faces. They did not expect him to say these words so easily, especially considering the person he said these words to is the one who tortured him for three days.

"But don't expect us to play nice," said Carlos.

Mal crosses her arms and looks at Carlos with a strange grin on her face. This made Carlos hide more of himself behind Evie.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After the four VKs were done talking, they called everyone back to the conference room to continue the meeting. Everyone could not stop staring at Mal with either contempt, fear, worry, or all three. Mal ignored them and focused on the meeting. Ben was just staring at her until she snapped her fingers multiple times, waking him up and reminding him of the purpose of the meeting.

"So, first of all, Mal, welcome back," said Ben formally. "Second, we need to find CJ and her crew and we can only do that if we engage them in their favorite field of battle. Water."

"We can take the royal yacht," Doug suggested. "It's big. There's plenty of room to store our equipment..."

"No, we can't," Mal said. "I may have destroyed the Pixie Dust Amulet, but CJ still has enough pixie dust to make The Lost Pearl fly. A bigger ship means a bigger target. Plus, the yacht's not fast enough to keep up with a pixie-dust-powered pirate ship."

"Would make things easier if we had a speedboat that can hold more than five people," said Jay.

"Wait, doesn't Peter Pan have pirate ships parked somewhere along the shores of Neverland?" Carlos asked.

"Yeah, he does," said Ben. "I'll contact him and tell him to send one right away."

"Tell him to supply us some pixie dust, too. We might need it," Lonnie added.

"Getting a ship to match their game is easy enough. Finding them is the harder part," said Mal. "CJ knows I can sense magic, which would explain why she keeps The Lost Pearl so far away for shore every time she faces us. The ocean is vast. It's gonna take probably forever to find them."

"I have a way," said Carlos.

"What is it?" Jane asked.

"The ship may be cloaked from sight, but that doesn't mean it can't be detected," said Carlos. "Before I was... kidnapped... I was working on a drone that could detect unusual shifts in the water. Now that I know that CJ uses pixie dust to make her ship fly, I can upgrade the drone to also detect for magical residue in the sky."

"Carlos De Vil, I could kiss you," Mal said with a smirk, clearly liking his idea.

"I prefer if you didn't," said Carlos.

"Too late," said Mal.

Mal pulls Carlos closer and plants a quick kiss on the cheek. Ben and Jane both felt uncomfortable. Evie shot a glare at Mal. Jay was slightly disgusted. The rest just reacted with a simple shocked look on their face.

Ben clears his throat, trying to stop the awkward feeling inside him, before speaking. "When can you have this device ready, Carlos?"

"By tomorrow," Carlos answered.

"Excellent," Ben replied.

"Um, Ben?" Jane raised her hand. "What happens if CJ attacks while we're still here?"

"I'll have guards posted on every door and every window here at the castle and at Auradon Prep in the event there's a break-in attempt," Ben answered.

"Boy, you are smart," Freddie replied.

"Until Carlos finished his drone, I suggest all of you train hard for the upcoming battle," said Ben. "Meeting adjourned."

Everyone stood up and walked to the door. Ben, however, needed to talk to someone very badly, so he calls for this person's name.

"Mal."

Mal stops and turns around, responding to Ben's call.

"Can we talk in your room?" He asked.

"Why? You wanna spend the night with me?" Mal teased.

"No, I just want to talk," said Ben.

* * *

Mal and Ben go to the former's room. Even though it has barely been a week, Mal felt weird being back in the room that has been decorated specially for her. To just walk in like she never left a strange feeling. It looked as wonderful as she remembered. From the purple satin curtains that kept the room dark to her infamous logo being the design of the bed, she couldn't stop feeling amazed at the sight of all of it. Ben noticed and smiled a bit.

"I kept everything just the same, just in case, by some miracle, you return to us," said Ben.

"Well, I have," said Mal, sniffing a boquet of black dahlias on a beautifully-painted flower vase. "Aren't you happy?"

"I am," Ben answered honestly. "But..."

Mal walks towards Ben and puts a hand on his cheek as she leaned closer. Their lips were only inches away from each other, and knowing this made Ben sweat a little, nervous by the closeness, for some reason.

"What's the matter, baby? You still afraid of me?" Mal teased.

"Well, Auroria and Neverland had to dig several graves for the lost souls, for one thing," said Ben, although not looking or sounding upset by it as he was still intimidated by the closeness.

Mal drops the bad girl act and shows an expression of shame on her face.

"Ben, I only did what I had to," Mal said ambiguously, in spite of the clear meaning of her actions.

"Mal, the entire kingdom wants you either imprisoned or executed so justice can be served for those who perished by your hand," said Ben. "My father tells me that I have to what it takes to protect this kingdom. My mother tells me I have to follow my heart. I believe I have to think about my people and punish you for your crimes, but my heart tells me to give you another chance."

"You're torn," said Mal, reading his words and face carefully. "I know the feeling. You're struggling to decide whether I should be allowed to redeem myself or rot in a prison cell for the rest of my life."

"Is this why you're so conflicted all this time? Is this what heavy internal struggle feels like?" asked Ben curiously.

"Yeah," Mal replied. "The only difference is that I'm torn about my identity, while you're torn about what is the right choice."

"I am so sorry I could not be there for you," said Ben. "If I had just listened..."

"No, you couldn't have known," said Mal. "It's my fault for keeping secrets. I thought I finally knew who I wanted to be after the Cotillion, but I don't, not yet. When I died, I woke up with a more transparent sight of the things. Maybe the darkness in me took over me, but I let it. I had to know who I really am, Ben. I don't expect you to understand how important it is."

"But did you really have to commit two horrendous genocides for the sake of finding your true identity?" Ben asked.

Mal hangs her head. It is clear that she feels ashamed of her actions, but not guilty. However, she did feel guilty for how her actions have affected the ones she called her family.

"I'm not going to pretend that I didn't kill all those people," Mal said as she looked into Ben's eyes again. "But I can't promise you that I'm done, though. I came back from the watery grave with the intent on showing CJ and her cronies what I'm truly capable of and that I'm not afraid to do whatever it takes to win."

"I guess I can't stop you," Ben admitted. "But I'll be there by your side every step of the way."

"I know you will," said Mal.

Mal was about to kiss Ben on the lips, but thought that maybe he would not accept it due to the circumstances. She, instead, kissed him on the cheek. Neither of them smiled, but the love in their eyes were crystal clear to each other. After bidding each other good night, Ben leaves the room.

Mal walks towards the window and opens. She stares at the moon in the sky, thinking about what might transpire the following day. She can feel it in her gut that CJ is still out there, plotting her revenge against her. It scared her, but she tried to deny it. Ignoring these thoughts, she then reaches into her jacket and pulls out what appears to be a sleeping Tinker Bell.

When CJ had ordered Tinker Bell's execution after Peter Pan had revealed that the Lost Boys told him what happened to the little fairy, Mal convinced the captain to let her live, because she felt it shouldn't be used as leverage only for Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. She said that Tinker Bell will remain useful as a hostage that can force _all_ their enemies to stand down unless they want to risk the fairy's life. CJ accepted.

Mal strokes the fairy's golden yellow with her finger, careful not to wake her. As tempting as it is to keep her, she knew that she had to do the right thing, especially if it means she would gain the trust of the others.

"Dust as gold as the land whence you come, I return you whence you're from," she cited.

Mal taps Tinker Bell's forehead with her magical touch, magically transporting her back to Neverland.

* * *

Meanwhile, there was a search going on aboard The Lost Pearl. After Mal's fiery and magical exit this morning, CJ went to check on Tinker Bell, only to discover that she has escaped her cage. She ordered her crew to search the entire ship. Every nook. Every cranny. After hours of searching, no one has caught a sight of the fairy.

"Has anyone found her yet?" CJ asked from the quarterdeck.

"We checked everywhere," said Gil.

"Even the rat holes," said Zevon, wiping dust off his coat.

"I checked every hole in every floorboard even," said Ginny.

"I'm afraid the little pest has flown the coop, literally," said Harry.

"Mal," CJ growled with hatred. "She thinks she's so clever, tricking me into keeping that little squirt alive just so she can free her. Well, we can be clever, too. She'll never see us coming."

 **It looks like Mal just made CJ a lot madder. Their next meeting will not be pretty.**


	32. A Dark Fairy's Insinuation

**Before we move on to the big stuff, let's sit down and read about how everyone else feels about Mal's return, individually. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Quartz Rider, TheGreatGodzilla, xez2003, Elijah**

 ** _To_ _Elijah_ : What translation? Just curious.**

Mal was alone in her old dorm, listening to music on a pair of headphones while putting her feet up on Evie's make-up table. While she listened to "Sad Song," she was writing something down on her diary, which she hasn't updated in days since she left it behind when she joined CJ's crew. One would say that a diary should only be written after the end of every day, but Mal was feeling bored and alone so she had nothing else to do. No one wants to look or talk to her, except for Ben, perhaps. But he was too busy with his Kingly duties down at Auradon City to pay attention to her.

Writing down everything she has done to the people of Auradon and her friends stung her, but she went through with it regardless. A stone-cold, hardhearted villainess, she may have become, but that would not stop her to pursuing her two objectives. One is finding out who she is. The other is ending CJ's reign of terror once and for all.

Her _friends_ would tell her that she is taking her self-discovery journey way too seriously, but Mal would tell them that it's more than just an item on a checklist. Even she doesn't know how serious her obsession is. All she wanted was a clear picture of life and a simple answer to the question, "Who am I?" Despite being aware that she is allowing her personal dilemma consume her, she doesn't care. Why, you ask? She won't tell you.

Mal stops writing when she sensed something. She takes off her headphones, magically locks her diary, and then heads outside of the school.

The front doors were already open. She could see Evie outside, waiting for someone or something. She was checking her Magic Mirror, which was the reason why Mal sensed magic being used nearby. Before she could ask the blue-haired narcissist what she is looking for, a limo shows up.

Exiting the limo is a very excited Dizzy, who immediately gives Evie a big hug. Seeing Dizzy was enough to bring at least a faint smile on Mal's face.

"I missed you so much," Dizzy said to Evie.

"It hasn't even been a week yet," said Evie.

"I know," said Dizzy. "But I really missed you."

"What are you doing here?" Evie asked, happy but curious.

"I heard that Mal was back," said Dizzy.

"How did you know?" asked Evie. "I never told or texted you about that."

"Jane did," said Dizzy, holding up her phone. "She posted it on her Tweeter account. Although, it didn't sound like she was happy to see Mal back to the good side."

"Jane," Evie sighed. "I am so baking her a poison apple cake for her birthday."

"Is that just an angry joke or are you really gonna do that?" asked Dizzy.

"Depends," Evie answered.

To Evie's surprise, Chad walked out of the limo.

"What are you doing here?" asked Evie.

"Accompanying her," Chad answered. "Mom made me."

Dizzy turns back to Evie and, with a smile on her face, asks, "So, where is she? Where's Mal?"

Dizzy sees something, or more specifically, someone over Evie's shoulder. It was Mal, waving and smiling at her. Dizzy quickly runs towards the purple-haired sorceress and gives her a hug. Mal responds by putting one arm around the little girl and patting her on top of her head with her other hand. The sight of this did not sit well for Evie, however.

"I'm so glad to hear that you're back," said Dizzy happily.

"Good to be back," said Mal.

Evie immediately pulls Dizzy away from Mal and uses herself as a human shield for the little girl.

"Uh, Evie..." Dizzy was confused.

"Stay away from her, Dizzy," said Evie.

"But she's good again," said Dizzy.

"I'm on the good guys' side, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm good," said Mal.

"I'm confused," said Dizzy.

Mal was slightly amused by Dizzy's innocence. It may be insulting to call her an innocent little girl, but that's what she is at the moment.

"Yeah, well, I'm confused, too," said Chad. "What's that witch doing back here?"

"Chad, don't call her that," said Dizzy, feeling as if he was offending her friend.

"You and me, we need to talk," Evie said to Mal. "Dizzy, stay with Chad. Chad, don't let her out of your sight."

Evie grabs Mal's wrist and drags back inside the school. Chad and Dizzy exchanged confused looks.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Evie drags Mal back to their dorm and locks the door.

"For the record, I had no intention of hurting her," Mal said to alleviate Evie's anger.

"I find that hard to believe, considering that a quarter of your kills were children," said Evie. "I told Chad to make sure Dizzy never knows about who you've become these past few days. As far as she knows, you became evil because you were under the influence of a curse cast by CJ."

"You lied to her," Mal said with an evil grin.

"To protect her," said Evie. "She's too young to be wrapped up in our world of good vs. evil. I don't want her going into dark places at such a young age."

"I just wanted to give her a hug," said Mal. "The thought of bringing up what I've done never crossed my mind. In spite of our falling-out, I still care about her. If you'd let me prove it to you, I would."

Evie glares at Mal as she thinks about giving her a chance. She then looks at herself in her Magic Mirror. The anger on her face, it disgusted her. Dropping the anger, she can see a concerned woman who wished nothing more than for Mal to be her best friend again. She looks back at Mal and gives her an answer.

"Five minutes," said Evie. "But I'll be watching."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal and Evie meet up with Dizzy and Chad near the entrance of the school. Evie nods at Mal before approaching Dizzy. Evie holds Dizzy's hands and tells her something. Mal was really hoping that Evie was really giving her this chance. Dizzy is the only one in her circle who is out of the loop. Dizzy cheers and jumps up and down before hugging Evie tightly. After the hug, the granddaughter of Lady Tremaine ran towards the daughter of Maleficent.

"Hi," Dizzy greeted.

"Hey, kid," Mal greeted her.

They hug again. Dizzy was clearly happy to see her, believing that she was free from some curse.

"How was Cinderellasburg?" asked Mal.

"Great," Dizzy answered. "Chad threw a party. He invited Audrey. We danced. We sang. We laughed. We made a big mess. His parents were so mad, and ordered me and Chad to help clean up the castle. But it wasn't all bad. Cinderella and King Charming, they're very nice to me. They're like the parents I've always wanted. Cinderella even let me try on her crown."

"That's wonderful, Dizzy," said Mal.

"So, how does it feel to be free?" Dizzy asked.

"It feels... liberating," Mal lied, but it was truthful in a way. "I am glad to see you."

"Do you wanna see the presents I brought home?" asked Dizzy excitedly.

"Of course," said Mal.

Dizzy drags Mal outside so she can show her the things that Cinderella and King Charming gave to her while she was in Cinderellasburg. It made Mal happy to spend some time with her, but only so much since Evie is keeping a close eye on her. The daughter of Evil Queen was still cautious with Mal, although seeing the pure bond between the sorceress and the little girl made her smile a little. Chad smiled as well.

"So, uh, Ben told me that you guys are planning on hittin' the waters," Chad mentioned. "Can I come?"

"Doug and Jane are coming, so, I guess, why not?" Evie replied.

* * *

After spending five minutes of talking and gift-opening with Dizzy, Mal walks back to her dorm, only to run into someone who has been waiting outside her dorm. Freddie. She currently fiddling with playing cards in her hands.

"What do you want, Freddie?" Mal asked.

"To bargain," Freddie replied.

"Hit me," Mal replied.

Freddie takes out a magical necklace with a tiki head symbol on it.

"What does it do?" Mal asked.

"It gives you the power to absorb the magical essence of any magical object, rendering them useless unless you return their spark," said Freddie.

"What do you want in exchange?" Mal asked, crossing her arms.

"A speck of your dark magic," Freddie answered. "I need it for my voodoo dolls."

"You can bring their purpose to life without my magic," said Mal. "Why would you need it?"

"I prefer to keep it as a surprise," said Freddie. "You like surprises, don't you?"

"Only when I'm the one dishing it out," Mal replied.

"Do we have a deal?" Freddie asked, holding up the necklace.

Mal twitches her lips as she thinks about the bargain.

"Deal," she said.

Mal snaps her finger and summons a spark of her dark magic. She then poofs up a small container where the dark magic can be contained. She gives it to Freddie, who, in turn, gives her the necklace.

"For the record, I like this new you," said Freddie. "Not the killing part, though. Just the whole evil vibe thing you got goin' on."

"Well, nice to know I have real support here," said Mal, smirking.

* * *

After she was finished writing her diary, Mal decided to head towards Jay and Carlos' dorm. Knowing that they'll probably never let her in if she used her infamous knocking sequence, she knocks on the door normally. Jay answers the door and was not at all pleased to see her.

"Hey, Jay," Mal greeted.

"Hey," Jay greeted, looking at her with scorn.

"I need to talk to Carlos," said Mal. "Alone."

"And what makes you think I'll leave you alone with him, especially after what you did to him?" asked Jay, daring Mal to give him a good reason.

"Because he's the one who truly believes in my intentions," said Mal.

Jay thinks for a moment. "Five minutes."

Mal smirked, because this was the same time limit Evie gave her to spend time with Dizzy.

"Look, in spite of everything that's happened, I am honestly glad you're back on our side," said Jay honestly. "I missed you."

"That's really touching, Jay," Mal replied. "Believe it or not, I missed all of you, too."

Jay leaves the dorm and allows Mal to enter. After making sure that Jay was out of hearing range, Mal closes the door and locks it, leaving her alone with the other occupant of the dorm. Before she could talk to him, she looks at what's on TV. A news report showing footage of Ben being mobbed by reporters was being played.

 _"... with the revelation of Mal's return to Auradon Prep revealed via Jane's Tweeter account. King Ben was asked by many reporters in Auradon City about why Mal, all of sudden, decided to return to the side of good in spite of her involvement in the fires that occurred in Neverland and Auroria, and if he would be punishing the daughter of Maleficent for her heinous crimes once the threat of CJ Hook and her villainous cabal comes to an end. This is Snow White, reporting..."_

Mal mutes the TV, not wanting to listen any further. She then turns her attention back to Carlos.

The white-haired tech prodigy was currently working on the drone he promised. At first sight of Mal, he looked away, afraid to lay eyes at her. Mal then takes a closer look at the drone. For some reason, it was designed in the image of a bird.

"Why does it look like a bird?" She asked him.

"A drone that looks like a flying robot would draw way too much suspicion, so I thought that a drone disguised as your everyday bird in the sky would be way less conspicuous," Carlos answered.

Mal smirks, impressed with Carlos' intelligence.

"You're here about the _item_ you requested, aren't you?" Carlos guessed.

"You haven't told anyone about our little deal, have you?" Mal asked.

"I think I have enough reasons not to cross you," said Carlos, rubbing one of his shoulders.

"Like I said in the past, you should be flattered to be wearing those marks," said Mal. "Anyone so much as scratches you, they'll regret it."

"Look, I promise I'll work on that item," said Carlos erratically. "Can you leave me alone, please?"

Mal takes one step forward, causing Carlos to flinch. She takes another step, and he flinched again. She sits down next to him, he leaned away from her. She examines his eyes. There was so much fear in them. When she placed a hand on his shoulder, he winced and flinched.

"You have nothing to be afraid of," said Mal in a very low tone. "I'm here as your friend, not your captor."

"You think I'm gonna play nice because of those words?" Carlos questioned. "You kidnapped me. You tortured me. You used me as a tool for your personal vendetta."

"Oh no, you don't get to lecture me about using someone," said Mal, waving her finger in front of his face.

Carlos was confused, as always when it came to her vendettas and dilemmas.

"You really think that you love, Jane?" Mal asked. "You really think she's the perfect girl?"

"Mal, get out, please," Carlos pleaded, trying to avoid eye contact.

Mal keeps her mouth close to his ear, making sure he listens to every word she says.

"When you first told me that you liked her, I had a feeling that maybe it wasn't all true," she continued. "Sure, Jane may be the one for you. You two compliment each other. You're both timid in spite of being blabber mouths. You're perfect for each other."

"Mal, stop," Carlos begged, closing his eyes.

"But it's all a lie. You're only using your feelings for her to hide your true feelings for someone else," said Mal.

"Enough, please," Carlos pleaded, covering his ears.

Mal removes Carlos' hand from his one ear and says one more thing.

"Your love for Jane may be real, Carlos, but it's not true love."

Carlos opens his eyes and turns his head, only to see that Mal has disappeared. Still, it felt like as if she was still in the room, watching him. Her words circled around his head non-stop, no matter how hard he tried to block them. He loses grip of his screwdriver as he stopped fighting the dark thoughts in his mind.

"Hey, what happened?"

Carlos jumped in shock at the voice of his canine companion, Dude, who had just woken up from his nap.

* * *

Jane was walking around the halls of Auradon Prep, not knowing what to do, where to go, or who to talk to after Evie had confronted her about her decision to spread the word of Mal's return using her Tweeter account. She has sent thirty-seven text messages to Carlos, but he hasn't texted back. She was afraid that he could me mad at her as well for this move, or he could probably be too traumatized by his time as a prisoner on The Lost Pearl to think about her. She couldn't just walk to his dorm in the event that his problem is the latter.

As if the universe was reading her thoughts, Carlos showed up, walking towards her.

"H-H-Hey, Carlos," Jane greeted nervously. "Look, if this is about my Tweet, I'm really sorry about that. I was just so nervous and so scared about Mal coming back and all that I didn't think clearly..."

Carlos cuts off Jane by kissing her on the lips. Jane's eyes widened with shock as her heart beat faster than when he asked her out to Cotillion. She closes her eyes and kisses him back, holding his face with both her hands to pull him closer. After the kiss, Carlos looked conflicted while Jane looked like she was about to pass.

And that's what she did. She sighed with joy and then fainted.

Carlos was amused, no doubt. He expected her to react in a way like this, since it was, after all, their first kiss. He carries Jane bridal style back to her dorm and puts her down in her bed. He rubs the top of her head affectionately as he smiled at her.

However, his mind shifted to what was going on through his mind during the kiss. Mal's words never escaped his head. They kept on replaying while his lips were pressed against Jane's. When he kissed Jane, he expected to feel like he was floating in the air. Instead, he felt nothing but a faint spark. His heart barely raced and his face didn't heat up like it should.

Was Mal right?

* * *

Ben had just returned from Auradon City. He refused to comment on the matter of Mal's decision to aid the heroes in the battle against CJ and her crew. All the questions asked to him, especially the one that questioned Mal's status as the future queen of the Kingdom made it all the more harder for Ben to handle the current situation. Trying to brush these thoughts aside, he enters his office and sits down on his desk to sign the last few papers of the day.

Suddenly, a hand covered his mouth and a hook was pressed against his throat. He didn't even need to look to know who just ambushed him. It was Harry Hook.

"Peek-a-boo," Harry joked as he snickered evilly.

 **Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Ben's in trouble!**

 **Looks like CJ's revenge plan is underway. I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, but I just wanted you to know that we're reaching the climax and it's about to get really intense.**


	33. Kidnapping

**CJ's revenge plan is underway. Ben gets kidnapped by Harry Hook... what next?**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, davengirl67, xez2003, TheGreatGodzilla, Quartz Rider, Elijah**

 ** _To davengirl67: _You didn't have to leave two reviews. Also, read Chapter 31 again in case you forgot what happened to Tinker Bell.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla:_ I know I'm the one asking for reviews, but you're getting repetitive. I get it. Mal needs to be punished harshly for her crimes, be it execution or eternal imprisonment in the Underworld or some other gruesome fate she "deserves." But, I beg of you, give it a break until it's all over. There's more to look forward to besides Mal's comeuppance.**

Chad was currently trying to teach Doug how to sword-fight. Jane was sitting down on the grass next to Dude as she watches the boys train. Carlos asked her to watch over Dude because he needed to be alone to repair the damage on his drone, which was caused in the first place by the campus mutt because his non-stop talking made Carlos lose concentration and slip up.

"C'mon, Doug. Eyes on your enemy," said Chad.

Doug was failing to react fast enough to Chad's swings. His sword was getting struck so fast and so strong that he was losing grip of it. After a few more seconds, Chad strikes the sword off Doug's hands. Chad tags Doug on the shoulder, just to make he knows that he lost.

"You're going with Evie on this dangerous mission, and you can't even toughen up to defend yourself?" Chad questioned.

"Cut him some slack, Chad. It's his first time," said Jane.

"Second, actually," said Doug. "First time was against a garden gnome. I was six."

"Nope, this is really your first time," said Chad.

"He's too skinny to fight," said Dude truthfully. "Not to mention stiff."

Doug looks at Dude, feeling offended.

"There is such a thing as being too honest, Dude," said Jane.

"Says the blabber mouth who is too much of a wimp to carry a sword," Dude countered.

Jane looked at the dog with an insulted look on her face, open mouth and all.

"Oh, and by the way, has anyone noticed the long yellow hair coming from behind that tree?" asked Dude.

Everyone turned their heads and saw exactly what Dude described. Long yellow hair lying on the grass. They only one person in all of Auradon who has hair this long.

"What is Ruby doing here?" Chad wondered.

Chad, Jane, Doug, and Dude followed the hundred-foot-long blonde hair to a tree not too far away. One person stood there, back turned against them.

"Ruby, is that you?" asked Jane.

The person turned around and revealed herself not to be Ruby but Gil, wearing a wig.

"Hi, guys," Gil greeted them. "Ah, I know what you're thinking? Why am I, a guy, wearing this heavy wig instead of a girl? Well, the captain promised me a kiss if I put it on and trick you guys so I can kidnap you."

"Trouble," said Dude, stating the obvious.

"Is Mal around?" asked Gil.

"No, she's out somewhere," Doug answered.

"Oh, good," said Gil.

Gil throws a potion at the hero kids. It magically teleports them somewhere else. Gil takes off the wig and runs away, excited to know if he'll finally get that kiss.

* * *

Lonnie had just left her dorm and was on her way to see Jay. Suddenly, she felt a pain in her arm. Then she heard laughing. She turns to her right and sees Freddie, snickering and holding a voodoo doll that looks like her. Freddie was pinching the Lonnie doll in the arm, which explains the real person's pain.

"Don't worry. It's just a test," said Freddie. "This is the first time I've done this."

"Yeah, well, a little warning next time?" Lonnie replied, rubbing her arm where it hurts.

"Maybe," Freddie joked.

"You know, I just want us to be friends," said Lonnie. "No use being arch-enemies over spilled pie."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm just looking for competition," said Freddie.

"You'd rather hate me than like me, huh?" Lonnie replied.

"Hey, I said I'd stick around because you guys keep your word. It doesn't mean I have to be all princess-y around you," said Freddie.

Footsteps were heard coming their way, and the owner of those footsteps caused Freddie and Lonnie to gasp. It was Ginny.

"So, why bother staying, Freddie?" She asked.

Lonnie takes out her sword and Freddie readies her playing cards, charging them with her voodoo magic.

"Can't we talk before we fight?" asked Ginny, raising both her hands in the air.

"When you talk, all you do is spit out sass and boasts," said Freddie.

"Well, I can't argue with you there," Ginny agreed. "CJ Hook would like a word with you two."

"And she sent you, only you after us?" asked Lonnie. "I think CJ may be getting a little too arrogant with the whole _quality over quantity_ thing."

"Maybe, but that's the thing about VKs. Arrogance is a weapon," said Ginny.

Freddie throws her playing cards, but Ginny ducks and tumbles on the ground to avoid them. She takes out her sword and fights Lonnie. After three straight clashes between their blades, Lonnie wins with a spin move followed by a kick to the hip. She strikes Ginny's sword out of her hand and points hers at the VK's chest, trying to force her to surrender.

"Okay, I guess I was a fool to take you on by myself," said Ginny.

"Darn right, you are," Freddie agreed.

"But being here on Auradon gives us an advantage," said Ginny. "Magic."

Ginny quickly reaches for her mother's dagger and hits Lonnie's sword repeatedly until it breaks, shocking both the wielder and the wielder's sort-of friend. The dagger glowed with magic and Ginny's sickly smile was a clear sign she was enjoying the power.

"Found this interesting potion in one of the treasure chests we found. It gives a blade more power so long as it keeps hitting something," said Ginny. "Oh, and it also comes with this really neat trick."

Ginny slashes the dagger across the air, unleashing a wave of magic that knocks out Freddie and Lonnie. Ginny takes the moment to look down on their unconscious bodies, relishing her victory. It always made her feel satisfied to just gaze down at her enemies like they were ants. She does this all the time from the top floor balcony of her home back on the Isle.

She looks at her mother's dagger and says to herself, "Mother knows best."

* * *

Dizzy was all by herself in Mal and Evie's dorm. She didn't mind though. She was listening to "Rather Be With You" on her headphones while she worked on new jewelry for Evie. She was so happy to be back. While she liked making jewelry with Cinderella's mice friends in Cinderellasburg, Evie would always be her favorite partner.

Suddenly, someone pulls the earphones from her head. That someone talked with an all too familiar voice.

"I see little Dizzy is sporting some new threads."

Dizzy attempts to swallow her fear, to little avail.

"I've already been kidnapped once. Can we not do this again?" Dizzy pleaded.

"Oh, I wish that were the case, little one, but captain's orders. She wants _all_ of Mal's friends to be present for her big endgame," said Harry.

"I'm scared to ask, but what is it?" asked Dizzy.

Harry pulls the chair Dizzy is sitting on towards the window, allowing her to see him in front of her.

"Let's just say it involves... walking the plank," said Harry, grinning creepily at the little girl.

"Villains always lose," said Dizzy, trying to put on a brave face. "What makes you think you'll win?"

"By using an old tactic in the book. Using the hero's loved ones against her. Only CJ likes to turn this tactic into a game. A fun, at that. Blood and bliss mixed into one spectacular event," said Harry. He then reaches for a potion. "Now, let's make this easy on both of us. Just hand over the phone and drink up. Trust me, little girls aren't in my parameters."

All while wearing a scared look on her face, Dizzy gives Harry her phone and drinks the potion. It tasted terrible, that was for sure.

"The good guys will stop you," said Dizzy just as the potion's effects kick in. "They're gonna... k-kick you... in the... in the... bu..."

Dizzy passes out.

Harry takes a picture of Dizzy and sends it to CJ.

She messaged him. _"Good job."_

* * *

Meanwhile, outside of Jay and Carlos' dorm, Evie stood there with Jay, waiting for Carlos to respond to their knocking. They've knocked fifteen times and the boy inside refuses to come out. Jay was starting to give up and decides to walk away, but Evie pulls him back, telling him that friends don't turn their back on friends who are in desperate need of help.

"Carlos," Evie called as she knocked, again.

"Go away," Carlos replied, irritated.

"I'm not gonna let you stay in there all by yourself," said Evie. "Please, Carlos. Just let us in and we can help you."

"With the drone or with my head?" Carlos questioned.

"Why not both?" Evie replied.

"He's not coming out," said Jay.

"Well, I'm not gonna stop trying," said Evie. "Whatever Mal did or said to him yesterday has been haunting him. I'm not gonna let him deal with whatever it is alone."

"I'm sure it can't be that bad," said Jay, desperate to leave.

"He flinches if you so much as touch him," Evie said. "I thought I told you to keep Mal away from him."

"She made a convincing argument," Jay said, trying to defend his reason for letting Mal talk to Carlos the previous day.

Evie knocks on the door continuously until her knuckles ached.

"Ben's gone missing," said Jay, hoping it would change the boy's mind.

"What?" Carlos asked, surprised.

"Belle and Beast told us that they couldn't find him anywhere. Not in his room. Not in his office. Not in the gardens. Not anywhere. He wouldn't even answer his phone," said Jay.

Carlos finally opens the door.

"Fine," he said. "But don't try to talk me into expressing my feelings and stuff."

"You're starting to sound like Mal," Evie agreed.

Evie grabs Carlos' hand and pulls him away from his room. Jay followed.

"Where is Mal?" asked Carlos.

"I don't know, but as long as she's far away from you, that's good enough," said Evie.

"But wouldn't Mal want to know that her fiance is missing, probably in trouble?" Jay pointed out.

Evie sighs as she takes out her phone to contact Mal.

"Look, I'm just as mad as you at her for all the evil shenanigans and stuff, but I'm surprised you're being this hostile against her," said Jay.

"Mal hated me once. Why can't I be the same with her?" Evie replied.

"Evie, this isn't like you," said Carlos, concerned for Evie's behavior this time.

"Well, you obviously haven't exactly seen this dark side of me," said Evie.

Just as Evie was about to press "send," she and the boys see someone who they didn't expect to see at the front door. CJ and Zevon.

"Now I'm beginning to consider kidnapping you, Evie. Doesn't seem like you and Mal are in a good place," said CJ.

Fortunately, Evie and Jay keep their scabbard with them at all times. They drew their swords in case a fight breaks out. Carlos, however, left his sword in his room. All he has are two fists. He puts them up as he tried and failed to look brave, still haunted by Mal's visit yesterday.

"Whatever your revenge plan is, CJ, it's over," said Jay.

"Give up now and we won't scratch you," said Evie.

"Give up? Me? Right now?" CJ laughed. "If those are my only options, I'd rather be scratched."

"You're crazy," Jay commented.

"The beautiful kind of crazy, Jay?" CJ said flirtatiously, blinking at Jay.

Jay grimaced with disgust.

"Oh, I wish we could've done so many things together, Jay," said Jay, her fingers tip-toeing up the ex-thief's chest, embarrassing him. "But I'm afraid it's time I move on."

"Did you come here for revenge or to hit on me?" asked Jay.

"Both," said CJ. "See, you friend, Mal... are you guys friends again? She tried to burn down my ship and send me and my crew to Davy Jones' Locker."

"Yeah, well, we were kinda hoping she did," said Evie. Realizing how cold she sounded, she says, "Not that I condone murder. I just preferred if you didn't come back..."

"Yes, well, unfortunately for you, I'm back," said CJ. "And I have a fun new game for all of you to play."

"Here's a hint. It involves your demise," said Zevon.

"Mal pretends that she doesn't care. Well, when I throw you into the deepest depths of the blue, I'll bring out that softness in her," said CJ darkly, followed by an evil giggle.

"Is it just me or does she sound really, really angry in an insane kind of way?" Jay whispered to Evie.

"Well, she's every bit as nuts as her brother, if not more," Evie whispered back.

"Enough talk," said CJ. "Zevon."

Zevon nods at his captain as he takes a potion.

"Kablam!" He said as he threw the potion down.

The potion bottle shatters and releases a cloud of magic on the three VKs. It shrinks them until they were the size of golf balls, albeit not as round, though.

"Oh, not again," Carlos complained.

"This is a weird sensation," said Evie, her nerves shaking from the potion's effects.

"Shake it off and starting running," said Jay, panicking.

It was too late. CJ bends down and grabs all three of them, holding them tight in her fist. She looks at them with an evil smile on her face, which stroke fear into them. She squeezed a little, hurting them a bit. As much as she wanted to play with them a little while longer, she knew that Mal wasn't gonna be gone for long. She drops the three shrunken VKs in her bag full of pixie dust.

"Zevon, round up the crew," CJ ordered. "It's almost time for the big finale."

* * *

At the beautiful and majestic place that is the Enchanted Lake, Mal sat on the edge of a stone ledge above the crystal clear waters. She wished she could've been sitting on the pavilion, but the damage that CJ's cannonball caused was still not repaired. As she stared at the waters, she continues to think about her decision to return to her "friends."

She knew they would not smile upon her return, yet she chose to come back to them. Whether or not CJ survived the burning of The Lost Pearl, she did not come back because she wanted to protect them. So, why did she come back? She remembered telling them that she wanted to make things right. Yet, she knows that all the evil she's done is too much for them to simply forgive her. So, what is it she really wanted from them besides forgiveness?

Knowing that the answer to that question is almost as difficult to find as the answer to the question of her identity, she decides to distract herself with her favorite sight. Since Ben hasn't answered her calls all morning, her next favorite sight was fire. She creates one in the palm of her hand and stares at it, trying to forget about all her troubles.

She then tosses the fire aside. It flew right past a certain someone trying to sneak up on her. It was Uma. She screamed when she saw the fire coming straight towards her. She was surprised it missed. It did, however, incinerate a tree in mere seconds.

Mal started laughing to herself, amused by the sound of Uma shrieking like a little girl.

"Very funny," said Uma sarcastically.

"I take it you're here about Excalibur," Mal guessed. "I know. I found it."

"How?" asked Uma.

"When I work up from my _death_ , I was planning on showing up at Ben's front door. Until, I remembered that you said you were hiding Excalibur. So, before I came back, I went looking for it," Mal said. "I must admit, you chose a very efficient hiding place. A secret tunnel below the seafloor and the only entrance is covered in sand."

"Well, there goes my bargaining chip," Uma replied, upset.

"What were you planning on doing with it? Ask for the throne of Auradon?" Mal asked curiously.

"The bargain was for King Arthur," said Uma. "But since you took it back, I..."

Uma was interrupted by the beep of a phone. Mal immediately picks it up, hoping that Ben finally responded to her text messages. However, she was disappointed to find out that the message came from someone else. Evie. However, her message was very tiny. She couldn't read it.

"Glass and stone, pierce and bleed, show me the message I wish to read," she cited.

Mal taps the screen with her glowing finger. A holographic screen pops up, showing her Evie's message in bigger letters.

 _CJ. Shrinking Potion. Kidnapped. Probably Ben too. HELP!_

Mal crushed the phone in her hand in an instant, startling Uma. Having read the message herself, she can tell that Mal was enrage, although the rage on her face is not very clear. The emotion on her facial expressions have been very subtle since her death. Maybe she just has to look dead, Uma thought.

"Uma, what's say you and I team up for one more battle?" Mal asked her ex-friend.

 **As CJ said, it's almost time for the big finale. Her endgame, as Harry said. One more battle, as Mal said. It's obvious. We're nearing the end. You excited?**

 **I hope you're ready, because I'm trying to be. I want this finale to be as exciting as we all hope it would be.**

 **What are you looking forward to?**


	34. Endgame

**A/N: To all those who received a notification about a new chapter update, I am so, so, so, so, so sorry about that. I DID post this chapter at the time, but there was an error and the notification probably came hours after the actual time I updated it. I had to delete the chapter because I thought the site was having a temporary breakdown. I probably shouldn't have done that, but I thought it would be safer if I updated this story at another time. My sincere apologies.**

 **It's Goin' Down!**

 **This is it, ladies and gentlemen. The big finale. All of Mal's friends are kidnapped by CJ and her crew. Mal asks an ex-friend to help her save them. How will this go down? Just sit back and enjoy reading. This is gonna be a long, long, long chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, xez2003 (Guest), Elijah, Quartz Rider, TheGreatGodzilla**

 ** _To Elijah_: Ooh, that's an interesting question.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Restoring Mal's good image to the public may seem impossible, especially from a realistic standpoint, but I'm gonna go for it anyway. My story may have a dark tone and puts emphasis on grim realism, but I'm not afraid to inject as much hope as I can.**

Mal and Uma return to Auradon Prep. Mal walks to Jay and Carlos' dorm with Uma following her. The aqua-haired sea witch was confused by this direction. She intended to head to Beast Castle, but Mal made the unexpected turn towards the school. In the boys' dorm, there lied Carlos' phone on his bed, which was plugged to a port in his drone, which was unfinished.

"What are we doing here, Mal?" asked Uma. "We should be looking for help, not playing with whatever that piece of junk is."

"I know CJ. She wouldn't just kidnap Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. She took all of them. There's no one here but us," said Mal.

"What about Fairy God Mother?" asked Uma.

"She's in Cinderellasburg trying to repair her magic wand," Mal answered as she smirked, remembering the moment she snapped the most powerful object in the world into two.

Uma's eyes widened, shocked. "You destroyed Fairy God Mother's magic wand?"

"Death has its advantages," Mal said coolly.

"Besides the fact that you survived that day, I don't understand how you can be so nonchalant about dying," said Uma. "I mean, you _died_. That doesn't freak you out one bit? It doesn't scare you that it can happen again?"

Mal didn't answer Uma. She was focusing on Carlos' drone. All the wiring and circuitry was too complex for her to figure out. She unplugs one wire, but it triggers an alarm. The wings were flapping at random. The beak was opening and closing repeatedly. Mal quickly plugs the wire back in its place, silencing the drone.

"What the heck are you doing?" Uma asked, irritated from the noise. "You're wasting time with that toy."

"It's not a toy, Shrimpy," said Mal. "It's a drone. Carlos designed it to search for ships sailing on or floating above the ocean. CJ kidnapped him before he could finish it, which means now _I_ have to finish it."

"And let me guess. You picked up some techno-whatever lessons here in Auradon?" Uma sassed as she crossed her arms.

"No, just algebra, laundry, and smiling," Mal replied sarcastically. "I don't know anything about electrotechnology, nanotechnology, biotechnology, or anything involving technology. Carlos is the one who makes all the toys, like that 3D printer over there."

"Well, does he leave blueprints or something? An instruction manual, perhaps?" asked Uma.

"Wait, he does," said Mal.. "He keeps everything on his laptop."

Mal picks up Carlos' laptop and turns it on. His account, however, requires an access password. Mal types in a password and, to Uma's surprise, it worked.

"How did you know his password?" Uma asked.

"09-01-14-E," Mal said. "It's the day he first met Evie."

"Man, those two make me want to vomit," Uma said, recalling all the times she's seen Evie and Carlos get close to each other, both emotionally and physically.

"I feel you," Mal replied.

Mal accesses Carlos' blueprints. She's amazed at the boy's creativity. She especially loved the idea about the new and improved paint bombs. It may have been the invention that forced her to mark him with scars in the first place, but she still hoped he would get it right next time. She then moves on to the blueprint for the drone.

"There's the problem," Mal said, having read the final instruction. "The processing system thingy in the _brain_ just needs a few more jolts."

Mal raises her hand and magically absorbs a few bolts of electricity from the 3D Printer, transferring it to the drone, making it fully operational. The phone lit up since it was still plugged to the drone. It showed Mal an app that would allow her to access the drone's functions.

Before Mal can give the drone a test run, a couple of people arrive at the door. Belle and Beast. They both looked panicked.

"Mal, we've been looking for you," said Belle. "Ben, he is..."

"Kidnapped by CJ, I know," Mal interrupted.

"Oh," Belle reacted, worried. "We were just gonna say that he's gone missing, but, I guess, thank you for cracking the mystery."

"I assume you and Uma here are planning on bringing him back?" Beast assumed, looking at the sea witch with caution.

"Yes, that's exactly what we're gonna do," said Mal.

"We also came here to tell you that the boat Peter Pan promised is already at Belle's Harbor... or should I say, _my_ harbor," Belle said.

"Good," said Mal. "Uma, you and the royal couple here start loading weapons and equipment and maybe some food. I need to take this drone into the sky."

"I'm not your maid, princess," Uma retorted.

Mal shuts the laptop and looks at Uma in the eye with subtle vexation on her face. Belle holds on to her husband in case a fight breaks out, be it verbal or physical.

"You want that ship or not?" Mal started. "You're in my territory, Uma. My land, my orders."

"Technically, it's Ben's," said Beast.

Mal glares at the former king.

Intimidated, Beast corrects himself. "Uh, I'm mistaken. Of course, the land... territory... is yours, being the King's Lady of the Court, after all. Not to mention his bride-to-be."

"Fine," said Uma. "But this is the last order you're giving me."

"Don't bet on it, Shrimpy," said Mal, still glaring into the sea witch's eyes, making sure she understood the message.

* * *

Soon enough, Mal and Uma boarded the ship that Peter Pan provided for them. Belle and Beast waved at them as they sailed off, hoping they would find their son and being him home safe. Mal had activated Carlos' drone and sent it flying off into the horizon. The app that Carlos installed on his phone allows her to track the drone's location on the map and see if it detects any presence of magic or unnatural water movements.

"You sure this stupid robot bird is gonna help us find a cloaked ship?" Uma asked skeptically.

"Carlos is the best in the business. He hasn't let me down before. He won't let me down now," said Mal.

"By the way, what does the second scar mean, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Uma.

Mal ignores her, focusing on the drone's movement and the info from its scanner. Uma walks down from the quarterdeck and closer towards her rival.

"I always knew you were stupid and bold, but coming back to your friends is a whole new level," said Uma. "You really think saving them from CJ is gonna fix everything?"

"No," said Mal. "But I can't condemn them to death."

"Honestly, I don't really understand you, Mal, and considering I've known you my entire life, that's saying something," said Uma. "You come to me for help without Ben's knowledge. You die and then come back. You lose your mind. You became evil again just because your friends locked you up behind a barrier. You punish them by torturing and threatening them. Then all of a sudden, you betray CJ and come crawling back to the good guys."

"Uma, if you're going to ask me why I am such a complicated person, I have to be honest and tell you that I don't know the answer," said Mal. "Why does it even matter?"

"It matters because I hate not understanding you," said Uma. "What happened to the girl who said, _I want to be good_ , on live TV? What happened to the girl who said, _I love you_ , to King Beasty, in front of the whole kingdom."

"She died that day on Skull Rock," Mal said darkly.

"Thanks to CJ," said Uma. "She really went through so much length just to prove something to you."

"She wanted me to learn that I'm still a villain no matter what," said Mal.

"And are you just gonna stand there and tell me that she's wrong?" Uma questioned.

Mal looks away from the phone and finally faces Uma.

"She's not wrong," said Mal. "No matter how much goodness is inside me, no matter how many times I save Auradon, I'll always be rotten to the core."

"Then why the whole identity crisis if you've already figured it out?" asked Uma.

"Just because I know that my heart is forever black, it doesn't mean I've figured out who I am," said Mal. "I thought CJ could help me find the answer, but all she did was preserve my evil potential until it rises to its peak."

"You are complicated, Mal," said Uma.

"Good, because I'm supposed to be," Mal said, turning her attention towards the phone again.

Uma stares at the horizon, waiting until

"It feels like old times, doesn't it?" Uma asked. "You and me, Mal and Uma, on a mission."

"I can't lie when I say I sorta missed those days," said Mal.

"But we can never go back," said Uma. "The damage is done."

"I know," said Mal. "I stank up your hair. You kidnapped Ben and used him as leverage against me. Forgiveness between us is about as impossible as you turning over a new leaf."

"Glad to know we're on the same page about that," said Uma.

"Once this is over, you and me, we're done," said Mal. "No more favors. No more deals."

"I was just gonna say the same thing to you," said Uma.

Uma returns to the wheel while Mal continues to navigate. The drone detects a trail of pixie dust. Mal zooms out the map to see where the trail leads. The trail leads to the east. Mal narrows her eyes upon realization of the precise location where the trail leads to.

"I know where they are," said Mal.

"Where?" Uma asked.

"The Sea of Storms," Mal answered.

"Wow, CJ's certainly lost it," Uma commented, surprised that CJ would go this far for revenge.

"Shut up and head east," Mal ordered.

Uma turns the wheel just as Mal uses the pixie dust given to her by Peter Pan, per Ben's request. The ship begins to float out of the waters and into the air. Uma almost lost her balance once the ship went airborne. Mal remained steady as her purple hair danced to the wind, almost covering her face entirely. She didn't care. She just waited.

* * *

At the Sea of Storms, the waters cursed to be plagued with endless rainfall, booming thunder, and flashing lightning, The Lost Pearl floated above the gigantic waves, trying to avoid being swept into the nearby maelstrom, one of the many among the sea.

CJ looked down from the crow's nest at the swirling vortex that leads to the bottom of the ocean with an evil grin on her face. Oh, how she wanted to just push every person Mal cares about off the plank and into it right now. However, she was not going to do that until Mal arrives. Her endgame requires the daughter of Maleficent herself to witness the doom of everyone she ever loved. This way, CJ can kill two birds with one stone. She can get her revenge on Mal and usurp King Ben's position as ruler of Auradon.

"Captain!" Gil called. "She's here!"

CJ takes out her telescope and looks towards the direction where Gil is pointing. A flying ship was approaching them. Standing on top of the mast is none other than Mal herself. Behind the wheel is the daughter of Ursula herself, Uma.

"Let's get this party started!" CJ declared.

CJ swings down to the deck as she awaits for Mal's arrival on board. She takes a moment to look at her hostage. Evie, Jay, Carlos, Ben, Chad, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, Freddie, and Dizzy were tied up to the mast. Dude was kept in a handmade dog cage.

"It doesn't look like a party," said Dude. "I feel cold. Can someone get me a blanket? Or better yet, some bacon?"

"Ugh! Someone shut that dog up!" CJ ordered, annoyed.

Ginny kicks the cage, shaking Dude, forcing him to be quiet.

"Don't hurt him!" Carlos exclaimed.

"You should be more worried about yourself, puppy lover," said Harry, threatening Carlos with his hook.

"Harry, don't even think about it," said CJ.

Harry puts the hook away, but notices the look Carlos' face. It was full of fear. Just for the fun of it, Harry barks like a dog in front of him, causing the boy to flinch, much to his amusement. Gil was confused, because he thought Carlos wasn't afraid of dogs anymore.

"Boy, Mal really did a number of him," Ginny commented.

Out of nowhere, a puff of purple smoke appears. The smoke immediately clears to reveal Mal and Uma.

"Speak of the devil," said CJ.

"Oh, am I the devil? Well, if I am, then I'll take it as a compliment." Mal joked. She faces her friends and family and says, "Don't worry, guys. I'm here."

"No matter what's happened in the past, I'm very happy to see you, Mal," Ben said, smiling at his fiance.

"Yeah, me, too," Evie said, if reluctantly. "Can you make it fast? The rain is ruining my conditioner."

"Nice of you to join the party, Malsy," said CJ.

CJ draws her sword and holds it dangerously close to Ben's face as an attempt to taunt her enemy. Mal's fingers curled into fists and shook, but she remained calm.

"If you call a social gathering in a storm a party, then you're insane," Mal replied.

For some reason, CJ started giggling. It unsettled her crew and the hostages. Mal, meanwhile, was unamused.

"If I'm insane, then it's only because I'm a VK," said CJ. "That's who you are, Mal. I thought you had realized that. Yet, you betrayed me and came running back to these so-called heroes."

"I may be a villain," Mal admitted. "But that doesn't make me your tool of destruction."

"We could've been living like queens, Mal," said CJ. "A world where VKs can run wild and free without worry, well, other than each other."

"Sounds like paradise, but I think I'll pass," said Mal.

"What about you, Uma?" CJ asked, facing the young sea witch. "How about we make a deal? You and your mother love to make deals, right? I will turn over my position of the captain to you and you can rule Auradon once we're finished destroying Mal. How does that sound?"

"No," said Uma. "I'm not gonna be remembered as the villain kid who became the leader of her people because I accepted the position from my predecessor. If I'm gonna be captain of this ship, I'm gonna do it by throwing you into that maelstrom myself."

"Same old Uma," CJ commented.

"Let's just get on with this sick game of yours, CJ," said Mal. "Let me guess. I have to fight for them? I beat your crew one-by-one and they go free?"

"Well, yes, you do have to fight for them, but their lives will be determined will be determined by only one fight," said CJ. "And it's not us you have to fight. You have to fight one of your friends."

"What?" Doug asked, scared.

"You, Malsy, have to pick which one of your friends you want to fight," CJ continued. "If you kill the one you pick, then everyone else goes free. But if you don't kill one of them, then they all walk down the plank one-by-one."

Mal's friends and family were horrified by this game.

"So, either I sacrifice one of them or I damn them to hell?" Mal asked.

"Exactly," said CJ.

"Mal, you can't agree to this," Uma whispered. "CJ's unpredictable. She's, no doubt, trying to surprise you with some kind of plan to stab you in the back."

"Let me handle this," Mal whisper-shouted.

"So, Malsy, who are you going to sacrifice?" CJ asked, eager.

"My money's on Chad," said Jay.

"Hey!" Chad reacted. "Not cool, man."

"Well, you're the only one here who isn't her friend," said Jay.

"I think Chad will make a sufficient sacrifice," Freddie added.

"That just sounds mean and wrong," said Jane.

"Why, thank you," Freddie replied, flattered instead of offended.

"Stop. No is sacrificing anyone," said Ben.

"Isn't there a saying? If you care about someone, you have to let them go?" Lonnie said. "Well, maybe we should let go of Chad."

"As much as I hate that egotistical, arrogant jerk of a prince, I can't agree to this," said Evie.

"I'm right here," said Chad.

"No one cares about you," Dude said honestly.

Ginny kicks Dude's cage again, hurting the dog, again.

"Hey! Stop that!" Carlos yelled.

"Guys, can we please not sacrifice Chad? I like him," Dizzy pleaded.

"Yeah, listen to Dizzy. Don't sacrifice me," Chad begged, scared for his life.

"ENOUGH!" Mal shouted.

Thunder rolled and lightning flashed as Mal's fists caught fire, symbolizing her provoked temper. No one dared say a word or move a muscle at the sight of an enrage Mal.

"No one is making my choices for me," said Mal. "I decide what I decide."

"Then decide," said Harry. "Who's the unlucky soul to die at your hand?"

"Carlos," Mal answered.

"What?!" Everyone who is tied up reacted.

"You heard me," said Mal. "Untie Carlos De Vil and give him a sword."

Evie glares daggers at Mal.

"You..."

"Up-Up!" Lonnie interrupted, preventing Evie from cursing.

Harry cuts Carlos' ropes with his hook and gives him a sword. Mal draws her sword as the rest of the villain kid crew stood back.

"Wait," CJ interrupted. "I want to make sure you don't get any funny ideas. Gil, make sure King Benny is ready to walk the plank."

Gil grabs Ben and holds him close to the plank, preparing to throw him off it when CJ gives the command.

"Mal, please, no more," Carlos begged.

"You want to keep your life, you're gonna have to fight for it," said Mal.

Mal strikes Carlos' sword first. After a short pause, she strikes again. After another long pause, Mal strikes Carlos' sword three times before side-kicking him in the thigh, knocking him backwards. The tied-up heroes watch with anxiety, fearing for Carlos.

Carlos tries to look brave and charges. Mal steps aside, grabs his arm, and throws him. He slips on the slippery wooden floor, thanks to the rain, and crashes into Gil, separating him from Ben. Mal toys with the sword in her hand as she waits for Carlos to make a move. He was, however, not attempting one. He was scared. She could see it on his face.

"Still afraid, Snowball?" Mal asked. "I thought you've grown out of the scaredy-dog phase. What happened to you?"

"You happened," Carlos said. "If you're gonna torment me any further, then I don't need this."

Carlos lets go of his sword.

"Carlos, what are you doing?" Evie asked.

"Saving all of you," Carlos answered. "Go ahead, Mal. You've got too much blood on your hands to care about killing. No reason to stop now."

Mal grabs Carlos by the collar and holds him down, pointing her sword directly at his throat. Evie, Jay, and the rest held their breaths, afraid of Mal might do next.

"Carlos, before I do what I need to do, I just need to say one thing," said Mal.

"What?" asked Carlos.

Mal's face darts towards his. He closes his eyes, expecting her evil stare. However, what he felt was a pair of lips on his forehead. He wakes up to see Mal was, indeed, planting a kiss on his head. Everyone was shocked, especially Jane.

After parting her lips from the boy's face, Mal says, "You never cease to amaze me. The drone, it works like a charm."

"Uh, thank you," Carlos said nervously.

Mal turns towards the rest with an ambiguous look on her face.

"Uma, now!" She said.

Uma puts on an evil smile as she turns around, ignoring Mal's order. She approaches Harry and rubs his shoulder in a flirtatious way. He looks at her with the same lustful look he gives her all the time. Mal and CJ were getting suspicious. Chad and Dizzy, tied next to each other and facing Uma and Harry, were disgusted.

"Sorry, Mal, but I'm done taking orders from you," said Uma. "Harry, do you have it?"

"As per your request," Harry replied, revealing what he promised her.

It was the magical necklace that CJ wore. This confused CJ since she was wearing it right now. She takes a look it and realizes something.

"This is fake," said CJ.

"And _this_ is the real one," said Uma, putting on the real necklace.

Uma then takes one of Freddie's voodoo dolls, specifically, the one that looked like herself. Using her mother's necklace, Uma absorbs the dark magic from the doll. She then transfers it to the necklace.

"You double-crossing, sludge-licking sea wretch," Mal cursed.

"Language!" All the AKs said, including Dude.

Uma laughs gleefully and evilly as she stares at the anti-magic necklace that she now wears around her neck.

"Harry, what the heck is going on here?" CJ demanded an answer.

Harry dropped his evil grin and replaced it with a frown of regret and shame.

"I'm sorry, sis," he said to his sister. "But Uma, she made an offer I could not refuse, even if I wanted to."

"And what offer would that be? Her heart?" CJ asked sarcastically.

"Somethin' like that," Harry answered with a dreamy smile.

"I thought we were family," CJ said, looking and sounding betrayed.

"And we can still be," said Harry. "It will still be the same as it always been, except we will have a new queen. CJ, I know you never really cared about the crown. You just want control of Auradon. No rules. No leadership. Just pure chaos. Well, Uma can promise us that."

"I saved your life and treated your wound. You stood up to Harriet for me and gave me your coat for warmth. We finally established a connection. Yet, your obsession ruled your head," CJ said, disappointed.

Harry was gonna give CJ a reassuring poke to the cheek, but she turned away, dismayed. She started breathing in and out irregularly. She puts a hand on her head as she struggles to breathe.

"You should've been there for Harry from the start, CJ," said Uma. "You can't expect to win his love now after all the times you've dissed him."

Uma summons a magical water ball and throws it at CJ, soaking her as well as hurting her.

"Well, looks like you're not immune to my magic anymore," said Uma.

"Uma, don't harm her," Harry pleaded, holding Uma's arm down.

"Oh, relax, Harry. It's just simple payback," said Uma.

Lightning flashed again, startling everyone, except for those who were strong enough not to flinch, like Mal.

"How have we not been fried by lightning yet?" Chad wondered.

Doug answers. "Well, lightning is mostly attracted to metal and since there's no antenna on this ship..."

"Shut up, Doug!" Jay, Chad, Lonnie, and Freddie shouted.

"Mommy, help me," Jane whined, unable to handle all the yelling and the lightning.

Uma faces Gil, Ginny, and Zevon.

"So, I believe Harry spoke to all of you about my proposal," said Uma.

Gil, Ginny, and Zevon exchanged looks before walking towards the sea witch, standing by her side along with Harry. CJ comes to only to see what her crew is doing.

"Mutiny," she growled.

"I guess you can call it a mutility," Zevon confirmed.

"Uh, I think it's pronounced _mutiny_ ," Gil corrected him.

CJ was starting to lose her mind again. While everyone is occupied, Mal magically moves a knife across the floor as inconspicuously as she can and uses it to cut Jay loose.

"But why?" CJ asked.

"Because we do everything for you and you still treat us like sidekicks," said Ginny.

"We want equality among villain kids, CJ," said Zevon.

"Also, Uma's been kind of, like, my captain my whole life, so..." Gil said.

Thunder boomed just as CJ looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Uma adjusts the pirate captain's hat on her head as she approaches the hostages.

"Listen up, all of you!" Uma shouted, making sure she is heard because the raining and thundering aren't helping her. "I'm the captain of The Lost Pearl now, which means I call the shots now!" She then faces the King of Auradon. "Now, your highness, I believe it's time we negotiate."

"You want the throne or I go down into the maelstrom," Ben guessed.

"Smart boy you are, Beasty Boy," Uma replied. "What do you say?"

The negotiation was interrupted when a fireball was thrown towards Uma by Mal. Unfortunately, The anti-magic necklace protects Uma with a force field. Uma puts on a smug look on her face, expecting Mal to feel stupid for even trying. The purple-haired sorceress, however, started laughing instead. Uma drops the smug expression and replaces it with a confused one.

"As I suspected," said Mal.

"What are you talking about?" Uma asked.

"You really think I wasn't expecting you to betray you?" Mal replied. "When I found out that CJ was wearing a necklace that protects her from magic, I knew that's how she was able to remain captain of this ship when she kidnapped you. I figured you'd try to vanquish CJ by taking the necklace away from her. There was only one way to do that. You had to have someone on the inside. And who better than the one man who can't resist your charms? Harry Hook."

CJ once again looks at her brother with disappointment and betrayal.

"Of course, you knew that my magic is the only magic that can bypass the necklace's effects," Mal continued. "You were gonna confront me yesterday about Excalibur, until you stumbled upon something that intrigued you. The dark magic that I traded with Freddie. You theorized that if the necklace was mixed with my dark magic, then it can reflect my magic. So, you spent the entire night conspiring with Harry and the rest of the crew, and waited until today to make your move."

"I can't get past you, can I?" Uma replied.

"I'm afraid not," said Mal. "You overestimated how much trust I put in you. I never trusted you. That is why I prepared a little something for this occasion. During my time here on The Lost Pearl, I placed a curse on the necklace. If it's mixed with my magic, well, oh, it'll overload and go boom."

"Wait, I don't get it," said Freddie. "If you knew Uma would use the dark magic you gave me, then why did you let her?"

"Because I wanted to see the fireworks," said Mal.

Mal raises her hand and casts a spell. Uma can feel a pull on the necklace. The jewel was slowly turning purple. Mal was hastening the overloading process. As soon as the jewel was completely purple, Uma takes it off, but couldn't get away in time to avoid the magical explosion. The blast literally blows everyone away. Uma crashes into Harry. Dude's cage falls overboard.

"No! Dude!" Carlos cried.

Mal immediately cuts Carlos free. He was about to jump overboard to save his canine companion, until he stopped. The sight of the powerful waves below struck fear into his heart. He has to rescue Dude, but his fear was holding his back. Lightning struck close to The Lost Pearl and it startled him, causing him to slip off the deck and fall into the water.

"Well played, Mal," Uma replied. "Well, let me tell you something. I think I will follow your order."

Uma takes out a handful of purple pixie dust, which were created by Mal, and throws them to the floor. The purple pixie dust clashed with the gold pixie dust. They cancelled out each other. The Lost Pearl drops from the sky and crashes into the water. Carlos had just resurfaced with Dude in his arms, only to see the ship descend from above. He holds his breath and dives back down to avoid getting crushed by the wooden vessel.

The impact of the crash shook everyone and everything on the ship. The giant waves and the strong wind start pushing The Lost Pearl towards the maelstrom.

Mal cuts everyone free just as CJ draws her sword and engages Uma.

Full of anger, CJ strikes with as much fury as she can dish out. Uma is barely able to block each strike with her own sword. CJ manages to leave a cut on Uma's shoulder with a quick swipe. Uma blocks CJ's next strike. CJ, however, uses her hands to move both their swords from her view and then kicks Uma in the stomach. Before Uma can recover, CJ knocks her down with a spin kick to the face.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Chad, meanwhile, was trying to protect Dizzy from Harry.

"The son of Cinderella protecting the daughter of Drizella. Now I've seen everything," Harry commented.

"Well, as my mother said, life gives you a reason to stand up," said Chad.

"Get him, Chad!" Dizzy cheered.

The prince and the pirate clash swords as Dizzy stayed behind Chad. Chad shows off the swordsmanship skills that once made him captain of the R.O.A.R. team. With quickness and timing, he blocks Harry's swings and overwhelms him with a few quick strikes of his own. The two get caught in a lock. Harry pushes Chad until his back was against the railing.

Seeing that Chad needs help, Dizzy steps on Harry's foot. Harry grunts in pain, distracting himself. Chad kicks Harry in the stomach and lets the pirate slip until he hits his head on the mast.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Ginny retreats to the inside of the ship. Jay follows her. Lonnie follows him. Lonnie can hear swords clashing from inside the captain's quarters, meaning that is where her not-yet boyfriend was. She then heard Jay scream from inside, prompting her to hurry. She opens the door only to see Jay lying down on the floor with a bruised knee. Lonnie, concerned, approaches him, only to feel something sharp pierce her side. It was Ginny, stabbing the R.O.A.R. captain with her mother's dagger.

"No!" Jay cried.

Lonnie falls down and tries to stop the bleeding, to little avail. Jay reaches for his sword and throws it at Ginny, hitting her in the face with the opposite end of the blade, knocking her out. Jay limps his way towards Lonnie and uses his beanie to clog her wound. Lonnie's eyes were slowly closing, which panicked Jay.

"No! No! No!" Jay cried again. "Stay with me, Lonnie! Don't sleep!"

Jay keeps his beanie on her wound as he carries her bridal style. He takes her back to the main deck to ask Mal to heal her. However, the ship shook again because of the storm, juggling both teenagers around the halls.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back on the main deck, Zevon was trying to throw a potion at Mal, but the constant rocking of the ship by the waves and the wind made him miss every time. Suddenly, he gets hit in the face with three magical playing cards. Turning to his side, he sees Freddie holding a voodoo doll that looks like him. Knowing what it can do, he runs towards her to take it away from her.

He was too late. Freddie had twisted the doll's arm, which had brought pain to Zevon's real arm. Freddie then punches the doll in the stomach. Zevon felt an invisible fist punch his own stomach, causing him to wince in pain. Freddie holds the doll up high and drops it on her other hand. Zevon had been lifted into the air and sent crashing face-first on the deck.

While CJ was occupied with her laughter, Zevon takes out a shrinking potion. He throws it at Freddie. However, a hand caught it before it hit Freddie. The hand belonged to Mal.

"Uh, thanks," said Freddie.

"No problem," said Mal. "Hey, Zevon. I think it's time you get a taste of your own medicine."

Mal throws the potion at Zevon. It shrinks him to the size of a bug. Just as he raises his fist to give an evil monologue, he was carried away by water that splashed onto the ship.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Gil, meanwhile, was trying to use his brute strength to stop the wheel from turning on its own and turn it to the direction away from the maelstrom. However, his strength and the force of the wheel's turning caused the wheel to be torn off its pedestal. All Gil is holding now is the wheel, which can't do anything now to stop The Lost Pearl from heading straight to certain doom.

"How did that happen?" Gil asked, inspecting the wheel he was holding.

"We're heading for oblivion, that's what's happening," Ben said, who arrived to lend a helping hand until it was too late. "But if we work together, we can save ourselves."

"Hey, I'd love to help. I really do," said Gil. "But Uma will be mad at me for that, so I'm gonna have to fight you."

Gil drops the wheel and takes out his sword. Ben draws his sword and starts fighting with Gil. As he did, Ben thought about Gil's unnecessary choice. They were about to fall into a whirlpool and he thinks impressing his captain is more important than saving himself. _How does Gaston raise his children_ , Ben wondered.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ ducks under Uma's swing, only to slip on the floor. CJ keeps herself up by planting one knee on the ground. Uma strikes, but CJ blocks it. CJ kicks Uma on the leg as she stood on her two feet. The two continue swinging at each other until they end up in a lock. Using the magic of her mother's necklace, Uma strengthens her blade and strikes CJ's off her hand. CJ quickly grabs Uma's sword with her hand and then kicks Uma's hand, making the sea witch drop her weapon.

CJ trips Uma with a low kick. Upon impact with the floor, Uma quickly wraps her leg around CJ's dragging her down to the ground with her. The two grab their swords and return to their sword fight. This time, Uma slashes CJ's shoulder, leaving a cut on her like she did with her earlier. The two keep on swinging until they catch each other in another lock.

"You turned my own crew, my own brother against me. For that, you're gonna pay," CJ snarled.

"Oh, grow up, you big baby," Uma insulted.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Evie, Jane, and Doug have been trying to navigate around the shaking vessel as they attempt to find a rope long enough to bring Carlos back on board. They reach the railing where Carlos jumped off and look down to find him. He was grabbing on to a ledge on the side of the ship with one arm and holding on to Dude with the other.

"Carlos!" Evie called.

"Hi!" Carlos greeted them nonchalantly.

"How're you doing?" Jane asked.

"Just hangin' around," Carlos joked.

Jane smiled, amused despite being scared.

"Ah, young love," Dude commented.

"Grab on!" Doug said, throwing down the rope, which was tied to a barrel for support.

The problem, however, was that Carlos needs to let go of the ledge and grab on to the rope. Since he's holding Dude around one arm, he has to make a clean grab or they both fall into the water again. Carlos closes his eyes as he takes a few deep breaths. He opens his eyes and looks at his dog, expecting him to give him some advice.

"You can do it, dude," Dude said confidently. "If you can survive against a hundred pirates, you can do anything."

And so, Carlos plants two feet on the side of the ship as he takes a few more deep breaths. He lets go of the ledge and jumps towards the rope, successfully grabbing hold of it. Evie, Jane, and Doug pull him up. It was a struggle and not just because of the power of the wind from the storm. Evie has some physical strength in her, but Jane and Doug aren't exactly known for physical fitness. Fortunately, they managed to pull both Carlos and Dude back on board. Jane and Doug, however, suffer from rope burn.

Jane ignores this and immediately hugs Carlos, happy to hold him close to her. Evie joins in and it becomes a group hug. She pulls Doug down so he can join. The group hug, however, was interrupted by another giant wave hitting the ship, separating the four of them across the deck.

* * *

Mal looks at the chaos happening around her. Ben and Gil were sword-fighting for no reason. CJ and Uma are still bust with their little cat fight. Dizzy was repeatedly kicking Harry in the butt while Chad holds the pirate still. Carlos, Evie, Jane, Doug, and Freddie slip, stumble, and struggle to move as they are being tossed around the ship like rag dolls because of the big, powerful waves. Zevon was still missing. Jay, Lonnie, and Ginny are still inside the ship.

Fed up of all this pointless nonsense, Mal closes her eyes and waves her finger around, preparing to conjure some dark magic.

"Stop this now, enough is enough, I command a halt for this idle guff."

Mal casts her spell, which freezes everyone on the ship in place, much like her mother did during Coronation. Mal takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm down from what would've been an unpleasant outburst of both magic and emotion. A bolt of lightning almost struck the ship. While it did not startle Mal, it did convince her to lift her spell and unfreeze everyone.

They all fell on their backs or butts as the storm continued to rage around the doomed ship.

"That's enough!" Mal shouted. "Now, unless you want me to freeze your butts where your sit and leave your fate in nature's hands, !"

Everyone did the smart and safe thing and ceased their fighting. A few disrespectful glares and shoulder punches were exchanged, but the raging battle calmed.

"CJ." Mal faced the ex-captain of the ship. "We are stuck in the middle of storm-infested waters. The ship is about to be sucked down into a maelstrom. Only you can save us. You still have the pixie dust. Use it. If you do, I'll see to it personally that our king will submit you to punishment less harsh than lifetime imprisonment on the Isle."

CJ picks up the bag full of pixie dust and ponders over using it. The look on her face makes it clear that she is still close to a breakdown. Her crew's betrayal has hit her really hard.

"Please, CJ," Ben pleaded. "I promise. I can offer you a place in Auradon. You don't have to wander off for adventure alone. You can have everything. A good life. Friends. Family."

Harry was most affected by the second F word. Would CJ forgive him for his betrayal?

"Uh, I don't mean to rush anyone, but can we make this quick?" Doug pleaded. "By my estimate, we'll be sinking into the maelstrom in about... 60 seconds..."

"Shut up, Doug!" Everyone shouted, except for Evie and Dizzy.

CJ walks towards the railing and looks at the maelstrom. The ship continues to rock as it bobs up and down the waves, shaking everyone on board. They could barely keep themselves standing. Jay finally makes it outside with a still bleeding Lonnie and a still unconscious Ginny. He knew that leaving Ginny to die is the bad thing to do, so he went back for her.

"Mal, help," Jay pleaded.

Mal wasted no time and uses her magic to heal Lonnie's wound. Her eyes were still closed, however.

"All this," CJ started, speaking softly. "All this... what was the point? Revenge? I know that's a villain thing to do, but... I'm nuts. I'm insane. I'm losing my mind."

"Then let us help you," Ben pleaded.

"No. No, you can't," said CJ. "You can't help me or anyone."

"Why not?" Mal asked.

"Because of you, Mal," said CJ, looking at the daughter of Maleficent with hatred in her eyes. "You betrayed me. You forced my hand, and now we're all about to die. Tell me. Is that funny?" CJ then laughs for no reason.

"You know what? I do think it's funny," Mal replied. "Because I joined you in the hope that you and your crew would be able to help me find myself. I was a fool to think so. Not because I deny that evil is a part of me but because I realize that you never had the intention of aiding me in my journey. You just wanted another sidekick to cater to your evil whim."

"I helped you realize the truth, Malsy," said CJ with a wobbly tone in her voice.

"Partly," Mal implied. "Embracing the darkness may have been the right step in my journey, but what is the point of all this darkness if I revel in it without honor and dignity?"

"You're one to talk about honor and dignity, considering you've taken more lives than I have," CJ retorted.

"You're right. I have taken lives. I convinced myself that it was necessary to fulfill my desire," Mal admitted. "As disgusting as that sounds to my friends and as delicious as that sounds to you, I stand with every decision I make."

"That's what I admire about you, Malsy. You're an enigma even if you seem obvious," said CJ, laughing once again for no reason.

"CJ," Harry called. "Just use the dust and..."

"No!" CJ interrupted. "Why should I use the dust? If I can't win today, then there's no point. Why don't we all just drown together?"

CJ throws the pixie dust overboard, much to everyone's horror.

Reacting to this change of event, Mal kicks Ginny in the back of her knee and steals her vanishing potion. She tosses it to Ben.

"Get everybody out of here!" Mal ordered.

CJ throws her sword like a spear at Ben to stop him from using the potion. Ben quickly throws the bottle down to the floor before he gets pierced, teleporting himself, his friends, and Uma's crew away, leaving only Mal and CJ on board The Lost Pearl. The sword only hits the mast.

CJ takes back her sword and runs towards Mal. Mal draws her own sword and blocks CJ's first strike. CJ strikes left and right with so much rage, but Mal stays calm and avoids or blocks each swing. She punches CJ across the face and knees her in the stomach, pushing her backwards. CJ further loses her balance due to the rocking of the ship. Mal steps forward and kicks CJ in the stomach, pushing her towards the door so hard that the hinges broke. CJ falls on her back and the door that fell with her made the fall hurt more.

CJ gets back up and the sword fight continues. Mal ducks CJ's high swing and then swings her fist towards her face. CJ blocks the punch with her arm and kicks Mal on the side of her knee, causing the sorceress to drop. Mal blocks CJ's killing blow, but then gets kicked in the stomach.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

On board the flying pirate ship, Evie and Uma, for some reason, started fighting. Uma's crew watched with anticipation, enjoying the fight. Ben's friends, meanwhile, we just confused as to how this fight even started in the first place.

"Evie! Uma! Please, let's not fight," Ben begged.

After blocking Uma's swing, Evie kicks the sea witch in the stomach, knocking her backwards. Uma punches Evie in the face and then swings her sword at her, only for Evie to block it with her own. Evie then throws a punch of her own, knocking Uma down.

"Mal counted on you, and you turn on her," Evie said with anger.

"I think I made it clear from the start that I was only doing this for myself, said Uma.

Uma takes another swing, but Evie blocks it. She uses her other hand to smack her enemy's sword off her hand. She kicks Uma in the ankle, bringing her to her knees with her sword against her throat.

"You're lucky I'm not like Mal," said Evie.

And so, Evie prompts to just knock her out by hitting her in the face as hard as she could with her fist. Upon the sight of their captain's defeat, the crew decided not to make a move on heroes.

"Okay, at least that's over," Doug said, relieved.

"I have to go and get Mal," said Ben. "Harry, give me your potion."

"Will you save my sister if I do?" asked Harry, reaching for his vanishing potion.

"You have my word," said Ben.

"No," Carlos said, stealing Harry's potion. "Mal wouldn't want that. This is her fight. Let her finish it."

"Aren't you the one who told her once, _We've been through a lot together and we're not stopping that now_?" Jay asked.

"True," Carlos remembered. "But this is different."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back on board The Lost Pearl, Mal and CJ's fight reached the quarterdeck. After escaping a sword lock, Mal grabs CJ by the neck and holds her up and off her feet.

"You've lost it, CJ," said Mal. "You would rather die and take your enemies with you than search for a better life."

Mal then slams CJ's head to the floor, giving her a mild concussion. Mal was hoping she would surrender, but she knew CJ. She was not going to. The blonde pirate slowly gets back on her feet and shakes her head to ignore her concussion. The two villain kids continue to trade sword swings with neither one getting the upper hand. They even tried to use their free hands to hit each other, but they either block each punch or shrug off each one like it's nothing.

Mal dodges CJ's high swing, but the pirate sneaks a kick to her back. Mal retaliates by slugging her in the stomach. The two simultaneously attempt a spin strike, only to hit each other's swords. Mal thrusts her foot towards CJ's stomach and kicks her down. Mal slowly circles around CJ, hoping that she would come to her senses and surrender. CJ puts both her hands on the floor and pushes herself up to kick Mal in the throat with both her feet.

Both girls lie down on the ground in pain, feeling battered from all the fighting.

"There's only one way this can end, Malsy," CJ said, trying to get back on her feet. "You have to kill me. Even if you do, you'll prove me right. Not only are you a villain but also the worst that ever existed."

"What makes you think I'm worse than my mother?" Mal grunted, trying to stand up as well.

"Because your mother knew trust. She trusted you and your friends to steal Fairy God Mother's magic wand," CJ answered. "You, on the other hand, you don't know trust. You betrayed your friends' trust. You betrayed my trust. You can only trust yourself, and that, Malsy, makes you even more dangerous than any villain in history."

CJ charges towards Mal with her sword raised up high. Mal blocks her next swing, elbows her in eye, and then kicks her off the quarterdeck. CJ crashes on the main deck just as Mal jumps down after her. They were both exhausted and beat up from the fight, but they still had enough energy to keep going.

CJ swings her sword again, but Mal dodges the blade, only for CJ to quickly punch her in the face twice. Mal acts like those punches were nothing as she strikes again. She slashes CJ's leg, spins, and kicks her in the back. She then uses her magic to glue her to the mast.

"So, what are you gonna do, Malsy?" asked CJ. "Kill me or save me? Trust me. You can only do the former. The latter is a lost cause."

Mal was so tempted to either burn her alive or run her sword through her heart. She though that maybe she could do both. Closing her eyes, she whispers an incantation for a spell that lights her sword on fire. Despite the storm, the fire could not be extinguished. Mal held her sword close to CJ's neck, while the blonde pirate just looked at her with expectancy. In the end, however, Mal extinguishes the flame on her blade and drops it to the floor.

Instead of feeling disappointed, CJ just lets out a soft chuckle. "You think sparing me changes anything, Malsy? No one can ever look at you the same way ever again, and you can't pin that on me. You have only yourself to blame..."

Mal knocks out CJ with a fiery punch to the face, leaving a burn mark below her eye.

Mal keeps CJ glued to the mast since the ship was still rocking and she didn't want her to fall overboard. Mal turns her head to see that the ship has entered the maelstrom, following its flow to the hole in the middle. Just as she was about to look away, the corner of her eye caught something.

It was Zevon. He was still shrunken. He was wet from head to toe because of all the water. He was crawling on the floor because he was exhausted and beat up from being tossed and turned around the ship.

Mal walks over to the shrunken VK and crouches down to take a closer look at him. Her shadow loomed over him, capturing his attention. He looks up at the titanic teenager, afraid of what horrible fate awaits him. The thunder continued to roll and the lightning continued to flash as Mal ignored the cold of the rain, focusing on her tiny enemy, who was now at her mercy.

"I guess it's about time someone put you in your place," Mal said with a smirk. "Consider this as payback for my friends."

Mal stands tall above Zevon and raises her heeled boot right over him. Without any hesitation, Mal squishes the son of Yzma under her boot, crushing him like a bug.

* * *

Back on the other ship, everyone watches as The Lost Pearl sails deeper and deeper into the maelstrom. Every single one of them were afraid of seeing the ship escape their sights. It would only mean that those who are still on board are doomed to a watery grave.

"That's it! We're going back there! No more debates!" Ben shouted, growing impatient.

Ben was about to ask Carlos for the vanishing potion, only for Mal to magically poof onto the ship. Mal's "friends" were, in a way, happy to see her, especially her fiance. Ben slowly walks towards her, unsure of what to say. Mal puts her hands around him and hugs him as tightly as she can, knowing it's what he wanted to do. Ben hugs her back as tears of joy rained from his eyes.

"I thought you were gonna..." Ben paused, too happy to see her to finish the sentence.

"You can't ever get rid of me," Mal replied.

"Where's my sister?" Harry asked.

Mal answers Harry by looking back at The Lost Pearl. It had just sank down into the maelstrom and to the deepest depths of the Sea of Storms.

"A captain goes down with her ship," Mal quoted.

"No... No... NOOOOO!" Harry cried.

Harry was about to jump overboard to swim after his sister, only to be pulled back by Gil and Ginny.

"She's gone, Harry. She's gone!" Ginny said, trying to spare him a fruitless rescue mission.

"And so is Zevon," Gil added. "He was still on the ship right?"

Harry crumbles and breaks down into tears as he pounded the floor repeatedly, angry and sad. His sister... gone.

"It's over," said Carlos.

"No, it's not," Mal said as she turned her attention to the unconscious daughter of Ursula. "Uma betrayed me. She owes me. When she wakes up, when we get back to Auradon, she and I are going to settle our score once and for all."

 **What do you think? Was it good? Was it exciting? Was it what you were expecting, or more? What part did you love the most? Leave no opinion hidden. I wanna know everything you thought about this chapter. Praise or criticism.**

 **I just hope you didn't get lost in all the chaos and the twists. Honestly, I didn't expect this chapter to be this long, but I had so many ideas about how the finale was gonna go down that I didn't know how long it was going to be. It was so much fun and tiring to write this. So much effort for awesomeness. I really hope all the effort is worth it in the end.**

 **This is not the end of the story, however. Like Mal said, it's not over. There are some plot threads that need weaving, such as Uma's betrayal, Mal's comeuppance, and the emotional state of the other characters following the big final battle.**

 **Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**

 **;)**


	35. Queen of the Isle of the Lost

**The war with CJ Hook may be over, but there are other plot points that need to resolved, such as the outcome of Uma's betrayal. This chapter will be shorter though, but that's intentional because "Mal vs. Uma" is the only plot point in this chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, mekuro-K, Quartz Rider, 61394, top story, Guest21, Elijah, M Elijah, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, xez2003, TheGreatGodzilla**

 ** _To mekuro-K_: I would like apologize again for the violence and the gruesome fate of Zevon in the previous chapter. Thank you for your honesty, at least.**

 ** _To Quartz Rider_: Thank you for your comment on the battle scenes and the plot twist. I appreciate it so much. As for your questions, well, redemption for Mal is the next step, public opinion on her will be hard to turn around for sure, and CJ's fate, well...**

 ** _To Elijah_: If you really meant, "Is _Mal_ going to turn good in the end?" then all I can say is she's still lingering on the grey area.**

 ** _To xez2003_: Thanks for sharing a deep insight on the last chapter. It made me feel like I did a good job with the final battle.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Don't hold your breath.**

Uma wakes up with a headache, courtesy of Evie's punch. The first thing she sees is Evie, Jay, Ben, Harry, and Gil standing in a circle and looking down at her, clearly just waiting for her to wake up. Harry lends a hand and helps Uma stand up. She almost collapses because of her aching head. Harry gives her a container full of cider for her to ignore the pain.

Uma faces her new crew and asks, "Mind explaining why you're all just standing there and doing nothing when the enemy is right here?"

"You were defeated in battle. We had to stand down," said Harry.

"I appreciate your honor, but I expected grit from my first mate," said Uma.

"We would've done something, but Mal would've burned us alive if we delay your big battle with her," said Ginny.

"What big battle?" Uma asked.

"Mal wanted to settle a score, especially considering you betrayed her," said Evie.

"Oh, and, uh, you may want to know that The Lost Pearl sank into the swirly hole, so... we don't have a ship anymore," Gil reported.

"CJ?" Uma asked.

"As dead as Zevon," Ginny answered.

"Where's Mal now?" asked Uma.

"Waiting for you at Dragon's Point," Jay answered. "She's not very happy, just so you know."

"I couldn't even tell. She looked so... not emotional in the face," Gil commented.

"Let's get this over with," said Uma.

The AKs and VKs (minus Carlos, Lonnie, and Dizzy, whom were sent back to Beast Castle) walk up the cliff that is known as Dragon Point. They found Mal standing close to the edge, watching the stars twinkle in the sky. Her straight purple locks danced to the rhythm of the wind as she allowed the sight of a beautiful evening to calm her nerves.

Harry was tempted to hurt her for what happened to his sister, but Ginny held him back, reminding him that this is Uma's fight, not his.

"In Auradon, they say the best way to resolve conflict is through words. Kind, gentle words. Words said with the intention of peace," Mal started. "Well, we both know that things work differently on the Isle, especially when it comes to conflict. Something as simple as the wrong word or getting someone's way, most often literally, is enough to ignite a fight. Fights lead to grudges. Grudges lead to hatred. Hatred leads to future fights. That's always how things work on the Isle of the Lost, and that is how we are going to settle this dispute between us."

"Bravo. Amazing speech," said Uma sarcastically.

Mal reaches for a sword and quickly throws it at Uma. It lands just near her feet, startling the young sea witch.

"Pick up the sword, Shrimpy," said Mal.

Uma grabs the sword and pulls it out of the dirt. Mal draws her own sword and walks closer towards her rival, preparing for their fight.

"What's the deal, princess?" asked Uma.

"I told you that if you cross me, I'll make you regret it," said Mal. "So, I've decided to settle this the old-fashioned way. One-on-one. You and me. No magic. The victor claims the crown of the Isle of the Lost."

"You want your turf back, huh? Not happenin'," said Uma, confident.

"You could never win in a sword fight against me, remember?" Mal reminded her. "You'd be wise to surrender while you still have your life."

"I never back down from a fight and you know that," said Uma.

"Everyone does," Mal agreed.

"So, how does this end?" asked Uma, tightening her grip on her sword.

"'Til one of us dies or surrenders," Mal answered.

The two engage in a stare down as they waited for each other to make the first move. Mal did so with a quick slug across the face. The others reacted with surprise.

"Cheap shot," Gil commented.

Uma started swinging her sword, but Mal dodges her swings like they're nothing. She then grabs Uma's arm and throws her across the grass, causing her to stumble close to the edge. Uma regains her balance and swings at Mal again. Mal blocks her strikes and then kicks Uma in the back of the knee, causing her to drop. Uma refuses to surrender and keeps on swinging, only to continue failing to strike Mal due to the sorceress' quick reflexes. Mal spins and hits Uma behind the shoulder with the pommel, as if to taunt her.

The two keep on exchanging swings. Uma was giving it all she's got while Mal was acting like she's fighting a child. Mal ducks under Uma's high swing and then kicks Uma in the ankle, causing her to drop again. Even on her current position, Uma continues to swing. Mal blocks her swings and kicks her in the shoulder, knocking her down on her back.

"She's good," Ben commented, admiring his fiance's swordsmanship.

"I guess death is good for the senses," Evie said half-jokingly.

"Makes you wonder why it took so long for her to beat CJ," Jay said.

Uma scrambles back on her feet and swings low. Mal simply raises her foot to avoid the blade. She dodges Uma's next couple of swings and then grabs her wrist. She slashes Uma's shoulder, right next to the scar that CJ left from earlier. Uma grunts in pain and clutches her bleeding shoulder. After using a bit of magic to stop the bleeding, she returns to the fight. She strikes left and right with so much anger, but Mal remained calm and poised throughout. Mal walks backwards as they kept swinging before stepping aside. Uma aimlessly stumbles forward and strikes nothing but air as she wandered away from Mal.

Uma strikes high. Mal blocks it. Uma strikes low. Mal blocks it. Mal pulls the same trick and steps aside in the middle of the mindless swinging, causing Uma to wander to nowhere and strike air as she stumbled further from her opponent. The smirk on Mal's face can tell that she was enjoying herself. Uma was just confused. They were always evenly matched until the end, yet it seemed that Mal has gotten better since her _death_.

Mal ducks under Uma's next swing, further angering the sea witch. Uma throws a punch, but Mal catches her fist. Mal elbows Uma below the neck and then kicks her in the stomach, pushing her away from her. Uma stumbles and falls, feeling battered from all the hits she's been given.

"Good thing we sent Dizzy home. I didn't want her to see this," said Evie, horrified by how violent Mal has become.

"Or Carlos?" Freddie questioned her. "I know he's traumatized and all and someone needed to look after Lonnie, but you don't have to treat him like a child."

"He's had enough to deal with. He doesn't need to see this," said Evie.

"He's a man, not a boy, Evie," said Jay, siding with Freddie. "He was willing to sacrifice himself just to save us."

"And yet, he's still afraid," Evie reminded him.

Uma stands up to continue fighting, only to be meet by a blade threatening her heart. Mal keeps her sword close to Uma and forces her to walk closer to the edge of the cliff.

"I don't know about you, but I'm having a lot of fun," said Mal.

Uma strikes Mal's sword away from her face and then grabs her wrist, making her drop her weapon. Uma swings at her again, only for Mal to grab her blade with her gloved hand before it made contact with her face.

Mal slugs Uma across the face again, steals her sword, and pierces her in the same spot where she stabbed Mad Maddy.

Uma drops to her knees as she puts a hand on her wound. Harry was about to run towards, but once again, Ginny holds him back, reminding him that it's her fight and her fight alone.

"Okay, Uma. Let's make another deal, shall we?" Mal proposed. "I have magic. I can heal you. All you have to do is surrender."

"Never," Uma replied stubbornly.

"You can bleed and die right here and now, or you can live to fight me another day. Your choice," said Mal. "And make it quick. You don't have a lot of time."

Uma grunts in pain as she thinks about the proposal. She didn't want to surrender because it would show weakness. When she turned her attention to her crew, she began to second-guess herself. The look on Harry's face, it was full of fear. Fear of losing her. Uma knew he loves her, even if she might or might not feel the same way. Could she just rip herself away from the one person who cared about her for the sake of showing no weakness?

"I surrender," Uma said, making her final choice.

Mal smirks as she begins using her magic to heal Uma's wound, sealing it and stopping the bleeding. Mal walks away while Uma lies on the ground, still battered and still distressed from the wound. Harry frees his arm from Ginny's grip and runs towards his captain. Before he tended to her, he stops to give Mal a warning.

"One of these days, Mal, I will make you suffer for my sister's fate," he said to her threateningly.

"Try if you dare," Mal replied, showing no fear.

Harry continues to rush towards his captain, who was still lying down in pain.

"Are you a'right?" He asked.

"I will be," said Uma.

"You just surrendered. That is not like you," said Harry.

"What would you do without me?" Uma asked with a smile.

Harry smiles as she leans in for a kiss. Uma, however, blocks the gap between their lips with her finger, stopping him from coming any closer.

"Not yet, Harry," said Uma. "Another time, another day."

"I look forward to it," said Harry.

Mal plants her sword on the ground as she approaches her "friends." They were both amazed and appalled.

"How did you get so good?" asked Jay, still baffled by Mal's increased swordsmanship.

Mal smirks and answers. "Death changed me, remember?"

With that, Mal just walks back to the limo, leaving her friends still baffled.

"Mal Reborn... that's quite a story to tell," Jane commented.

"A story full of evil and death, I doubt the kids will love it," Evie replied.

"I'd love to read that book," said Ginny.

While Evie and Ginny glare at each other, Ben decides to approach Harry and the still recovering Uma.

"Are you okay?" Ben asked.

"Besides getting a second scar on my shoulder and almost dying, I think I am," said Uma sarcastically. "What do you want, your majesty?"

"I thought about your request and I have decided to approve it," said Ben. "You and your frie... crew... will be welcomed to attend Auradon Prep next school year."

"Well, at least something else worked out well for me today," said Uma, still bitter about losing her position as Queen of the Isle to Mal.

"One thing, though. Given the recent events, I can't just let you and your crew loose on my kingdom. I'm afraid you will have to remain on the Isle of the Lost until the school year begins," said Ben, speaking with confidence and sophistication.

"Ooh, looks like Beasty Boy is finally showing some guts," Uma complimented him. "I suppose one more summer on that disgusting rat hole wouldn't hurt."

"I'll be right by your side, luv," said Harry, smiling again.

Harry touches Uma's cheek with his hook as he looked into her eyes with lust and love.

"I think it's nice that you have someone who really cares about you, Uma," said Ben, smiling. "We all need someone like that in our life."

"Not Mal, though," said Uma. "She doesn't need you or her friends or her own people. You may want to get that gold beasty-headed ring off her finger. How are you so sure she'll keep it?"

"Because she loves me," said Ben.

"True," said Harry. "But..."

"But what?" Ben asked after Harry's voice trailed off.

"Do you love her enough to forgive her?" Uma finished Harry's sentence.

The question hit Ben hard. He has been thinking about what to do with Mal once the war with CJ was over. Now that it was over, he has to decide. Should he give the woman he loves a chance to redeem herself or punish her for the good of his people?

 **What is Ben going to do? Well, don't dwell on it too much.**

 **So, that wraps up the "Mal vs. Uma" part of the story. I hope it wasn't too violent or anything. I'm sorry if I sound paranoid, but...**

 **What do you think?**

 **Merry Christmas!**


	36. Alone

**This is the final chapter of my story. It has been a wild ride, but it has to end.**

 **Although, I have to apologize for what you might read here... but try to enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated. (Be sure to read the bottom of the chapter. I have some questions for all of you, if you'd be kind enough to answer them, that is.)**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, davengirl67, rose1041, xez2003, Guest, Guest52, Quartz Rider, TheGreatGodzilla**

 ** _To xez2003_: I really liked how you defined Mal.**

 ** _To Guest_: I'm still planning on "when" to explore the mystery on Carlos.**

 ** _To Guest52_: Second chances and all that. At least they're not gonna be spending the summer in Auradon.**

 ** _To Just Chill_: Don't do that. Don't you dare review my other stories if you're not gonna talk about the story itself. I'm sorry, but my "Infinity" series is over.**

The following day after Mal reclaimed her position as ruler of the Isle of the Lost, Auradon was in turmoil. Reporters ambush Ben outside his own castle to ask him questions about Mal, the state of his kingdom, and how he intends to reassure his people's safety. Ben was overwhelmed by all the questions and the camera flashes. He couldn't answer or see.

"Is Mal going to stand trial?"

"Where is Ursula's daughter?"

"Do you still plan to make Mal your future queen?"

"What can you say to the people of Neverland?"

"Who rescued Tinker Bell from the pirate crew?"

"Is the death penalty a considerable punishment?"

Thanks to his parents, Ben managed to escape the crowd, but he couldn't stop thinking about all the questions asked to him. The war is over and he has to make a decision soon. He decided to go to the one place where he can relax. The Enchanted Lake. Since the pavilion flooring was still damaged, he just sat top on a boulder and stared at the sparkling waters he loved to swim in. It made him wish he and Mal were on a date right now so he can teach her how to swim.

Ben had talked to his parents, Fairy God Mother, and his friends about what he should do about his current situation with Mal. Belle told him to follow his heart. Beast told him to do what he believes is right. His friends, especially Evie, Jay, and Carlos, told him that they can't make the decision for him.

Out of options, he calls the one person he hasn't talked to.

 _"Hello?"_

"Hey, Eleanor," Ben greeted.

 _"I heard about what happened at the Sea of Storms. Are you okay?" asked Eleanor._

"I'm fine," said Ben. "I called you to ask you for some advice."

 _"About?" asked Eleanor._

"Mal," Ben answered. "My people want her punished. I don't. I just can't decide what to do. I've talked to everyone, and I still can't make a decision."

 _"Well, there's this one saying my mom used to tell me all the time," said Eleanor. "Teaching someone an important lesson requires doing something inconceivable."_

"So, you think I should punish Mal?" asked Ben.

 _"It's up to you," said Eleanor._

Eleanor ends the call so Ben can continue to think.

* * *

Mal has been spending the entire day avoiding everyone. Her "friends" still harbor antagonistic feelings towards her, and Ben is, no doubt, busy planning on whether or not she should be punished for her crimes against Auradon.

She spent the whole morning and afternoon in Auradon Cathedral, staring at the many glass portraits of Auradon's heroes. If they were all present in the cathedral, they would be most likely throwing shade at her considering her recent misdeeds. She was aware that her hand in the rescue of King Ben from a watery doom would not grant her absolution for her sins, yet she is in the very place where the guilty seek absolution.

Mal was about to drink the last of her strawberry cider when she heard footsteps. Turning around, she sees the person she's been waiting for. A priestess.

She sits down next to her as they begin their session.

"Before we start, I must advice you to put that away," said the priestess, referring to the flask that Mal was holding. "You're not supposed to drink in here."

Responding to those words, Mal throws the flask away nonchalantly, spilling the remains on the floor. The priestess decided not to speak of this as the look on the sorceress' face tells that she was not in the mood for side comments.

"So, you may confess your sins," said the priestess.

"Where to begin?" Mal started, hanging her head in shame. "I took the lives of over a hundred innocent people. I betrayed the people I love. I lied to everyone, friend and enemy. I've caused pain to every soul in my circle, both the physical and emotional kind. Basically, I have committed basically the most despicable sins in the book. Ha!"

Mal then started giggling, as if she finds her wrongdoings hilarious.

"Well, do you feel any remorse?" asked the priestess, trying to look past the teenager's tipsy behavior.

"For the lives I've taken, no. For my actions against my loved ones, yeah," Mal replied honestly.

"Are you seeking forgiveness?" asked the priestess.

"Not exactly," said Mal. "I don't deserve forgiveness. What I came here to ask is if I deserve a second chance."

"Well, isn't that up to the people who are supposed to give you that chance?" asked the priestess.

"I just feel so stupid," Mal admitted. "Death has been... complicated. I woke up a new person and everyone's been begging for me to go back to who I used to be. Now, I know you're probably just gonna say something cliche like pray for forgiveness. But I'm expecting something deeper than that. Something that can truly help me."

"So, you seek a different kind of absolution for your sins," the priestess guessed.

"Duh," said Mal.

"Well, this is, um, unusual," said the priestess, unsure of how to help Mal.

"This was pointless," said Mal.

Mal was about to stand up and leave, until the priestess grabbed her arm and asked her to sit back down.

"Let me ask you something. Do you loathe yourself for your sins?" asked the priestess.

"You can't even imagine," Mal replied.

"Then the first step is to forgive yourself," said the priestess. "Now, I understand you do not seek forgiveness from others, but you do seek forgiveness from yourself. You wish you could take back your evil actions and feel better about yourself. I'm not saying the process is simple, but allowing yourself to live with your sins will help you forgive yourself and move forward."

"And my penance?" Mal asked.

"Well, pray for a second chance," said the priestess, unsure of what to say.

"Is this your first time on the job or something?" Mal asked with slight ire. "I asked you for help because the owner of Auradon City's orphange spoke highly of you. She said the kids love you."

"To be fair, I usually help 10-year-old children with sugar addiction or mischievous tendencies, not angsty teenagers," the priestess said in her defense.

Mal leans back on the seat with her head staring at the ceiling, feeling as if she came to the cathedral for nothing. She now wishes she didn't throw away her flask.

"Well, I, uh... I'll leave you alone then," said the priestess.

The priestess pats Mal on the back before leaving the cathedral. As soon as she was out, she sits down on a wheelchair that was hidden from plain sight. Using her magic, she changes her face back to its real appearance.

Eleanor.

She then transfers the magic within her into her necklace in order to remove the feeling of her legs. This way, she can sell the paraplegic act.

"Well, that went well," she said, mentally slapping herself for a poor job with Mal.

* * *

Later that evening, Mal returns to Auradon Prep, feeling both tired and depressed. Her prayer turned into a soliloquy, which turned into a bedtime story that put her to sleep for about an hour. She woke up with a grueling headache. Just as she was about to enter the school, her phone buzzed. Evie sent her a message, containing a link to an online video that she needed her to watch.

It was a video of Ben doing an interview with Snow White. Mal plays it.

 _"I love Mal. If I could make her my queen, I would," said Ben._

 _"That's sweet, your majesty," said Snow White. "But on to more serious matters, the people want Mal to pay for her heinous crimes. The fires in Neverland. The fires in Auroria. Aiding the decimation of a large part of the Enchanted Wood..."_

 _"That is why I called for this interview," said Ben. "As King of Auradon, I hereby declare the lifetime banishment of Mal from Auradon. She is to be sent back to the Isle of the Lost... and never re..."_

Mal accidentally burns the phone in her hand to ashes due to her current emotional state, which was a combination of anger, sorrow, and despondency. She was surprised that she was feeling this way. She shouldn't be surprised since she deserves this. However, the reason she is surprised is because it was Ben who made the decision. Knowing him, he was forgiving. Even if her crimes were horrendous, he would still try to keep her close so he can save her.

"Ben, you smart idiot," she said with a melancholic smile.

* * *

In Lonnie's dorm, the daughter of Mulan was beginning to wake up from her coma. A needle was plugged into her arm, injecting fluid into her system. A heart rate monitor was on her bedside table, measuring her heart beat. Sitting next to her bed is none other than the son of Jafar himself, Jay. He was smiling, obviously because she was awake.

"Hey," Lonnie greeted.

"Hey yourself," Jay greeted, still smiling at her.

"How long was I out?" asked Lonnie.

"One year," Jay answered.

Lonnie's eyes widened, shocked. Jay, however, started laughing. Lonnie realizes that he was joking about the "one year."

"Oh, you're such a jerk," said Lonnie, smiling despite being a bit peeved.

"Yeah, well, I grew up from the Isle," said Jay. "Oh, and in case you're gonna ask again, it's only been one day."

"Oh, thank goodness," said Lonnie, relieved.

Jay held her hand tightly, if not too tightly. He was afraid to let go, she could tell. She just smiled, telling him that she's happy to have him by her side.

"Will I be okay?" Lonnie asked.

"According to Fairy God Mother, three more days of bed rest should do the trick," Jay answered. "Afterwards, what do you say we go on another carpet ride?"

"I would like that," said Lonnie. "Maybe we can go to my home and I can introduce you to my parents."

"We're not even officially dating yet. Are you sure you want to go there already?" asked Jay.

"I almost died, Jay," said Lonnie, still sounding weak. "I think we're done taking this slow."

Jay smiled and kissed her knuckle. Their moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. The knocker realized the door was unlocked and twisted the knob, opening it. Jay's smile dropped at the sight of the visitor. It was Mal.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After telling Lonnie to rest, Jay walks out the door with Mal, who requested to speak with him, just the two of them. Jay didn't know whether to scowl at her or smile at her. He was happy that she saved them from CJ, but he had some anger in him that was directed towards her.

"I'm going away," said Mal.

"I saw it on TV," said Jay.

"I just came here to say goodbye," said Mal. "Unless, of course, you don't want me to."

"Y-You're my friend. H-How can you say that?" Jay asked, sounding as if he was offended.

Mal can sense that he was lying about how he feels. She tilts her head and raises an eyebrow to tell him that she suspects something.

"If you're mad at me for something, just let it out," said Mal. "I'm already deep in the muck, literally. You can go ahead and bury me further."

Jay decided to let out the anger he was holding in.

"Lonnie almost died, Mal," he said.

"And you blame me?" Mal questioned him. "Ginny is the one who went all Mother Gothel on her, not me."

"We had one job to do, Mal. Stop CJ," said Jay, raising his voice. "You turned on us and made us... made Lonnie suffer. If you'd just stayed on the good guys' side, we could've beaten CJ and never have gone through that whole Sea of Storms disaster."

"Uh, I'm not the one who locked their friend in a library, reminding her of the feeling of imprisonment on the Isle of the Lost," Mal pointed out.

"Goodbye, Mal," said Jay, turning his back on her.

Jay goes back inside Lonnie's dorm, refusing to speak to her any further. Mal can only stand outside the door thinking about how angry Jay is at her. This was the first time he's been legitimately mad at her since they were kids. It was a strange feeling, indeed. Mal couldn't blame him, though. Lonnie meant so much to Jay, so it's understandable if he'd be angry at the person responsible for her being hurt, even at someone _indirectly_ responsible for it.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Tourney Field, Carlos was sitting alone at the bleachers, trying to block the nightmares, to no avail. Whether his eyes are open or not, he can see the same things that haunt him every minute. Darkness. Green eyes. Fire. The letter M. All these images flash in his head 24/7 and he can't shake them off. It was driving him to the point of insanity. He refused to leave his room. He refused to sleep. He refused to speak with anyone.

"Carlos!"

Carlos jumped and screamed when he heard someone. The voice that called him belonged to his girlfriend, Jane. She was startled when he screamed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Jane apologized.

"Next time, don't sneak up on me," said Carlos, sounding irritable.

"I'm really sorry about that," Jane apologized again as she sat next to him. "I'd ask if you're okay, but obviously you're not."

Carlos just sat there, silent. Jane puts one arm around him and rests her head on his shoulder, hoping a hug would calm him down. Carlos, while feeling appreciative, couldn't stop thinking about what Mal said to him a few days ago about his feelings for Jane. It was another thought that haunted him every second. His first kiss with Jane only helped make the thought more painful.

"Uh, Jane, there's something I need to tell you," said Carlos.

"What is it?" asked Jane, lifting her head off of Carlos' shoulder so she can look at him in the eyes.

"I... I... I can't do this anymore," said Carlos.

"What are you talking about?" asked Jane.

Carlos holds both of Jane's hands and looks at her with as much love as he can show her in spite of the clearly traumatized look.

"You know you're very special to me," said Carlos.

"I know," said Jane with a smile.

"But... recently, I've come to realize that... I can't... I can't continue this. I can't continue... us," said Carlos, trying to sound as gentle as he can.

"What are you saying?" asked Jane.

Carlos knew he had to tell her the truth, but he couldn't.

"Carlos, what is going on? What is _really_ going on?" asked Jane, if not too demanding.

Carlos decides to throw the truth bomb. "Mal told me that my feelings for you isn't real. That it was just to unknowingly make myself ignorant of my true feelings."

"And you believe her?" asked Jane.

"I know I shouldn't, but..." Carlos paused. "The reason I kissed you that night was to know if it was true."

"And...?" Jane asked.

"I barely felt anything," Carlos answered truthfully. "Jane, I love you, I really do, but... my love for your isn't true love. I've been using you, and I never even knew it. I can't be with you knowing that our love is only one-sided."

Jane lets go of Carlos' hands as the sadness on her face showed. Carlos didn't want to tell her, but he had to be honest with her. As much as he didn't want to believe Mal, he knew he had to embrace the truth before it hurt him too much.

"Jane, I will always care about you," said Carlos, holding her hand. "Just because I'm... breaking up with you... it doesn't mean you still don't mean anything to me. You do."

"I understand," said Jane. "You're in a troubled state and you probably think a relationship will just distract you from recovering."

"I just hope you don't hate me," said Carlos.

"I could never," said Jane. "I mean, the past 94 days have been the best of my life, well, apart from the you getting kidnapped and tortured thing, not to mention almost dying at the Seas of Storms..."

Carlos started giggling, because Jane's rambling was amusing him. She looks so cute when she rambles. Jane laughs along, amused that she amused him.

"So, you keep track of the number of days we've dated?" asked Carlos.

"Too much?" Jane replied, afraid if her habit was creepy.

"No," said Carlos with a small smile.

"I will miss texting with you, though," said Jane, recalling their hilarious past phone conversations.

"Me, too," said Carlos. "So, uh... can we still be friends?"

"Friends," Jane replied, kissing her not-anymore boyfriend on the cheek.

Jane decides to leave Carlos alone so he can relax on his own. Carlos was glad that the break-up went smoothly and without any arguing. The last thing he wanted was an angry Jane hating him for the rest of her life. The fact that she understands his reasons made him feel a little better. However, the cause of his nightmares decided to make an appearance, worsening his mood.

"That went better than I thought," she said.

"What do you want, Mal?" Carlos asked, refusing to look at her. "Are you here to gloat?"

"Maybe, but I also came to say goodbye," said Mal.

"I prefer if you didn't," said Carlos.

"Too late," Mal said with the same the tone she used to say those words before.

Mal was about to sit next to Carlos, only for him to stand up and step away from her, still afraid.

"I'm not here to hurt you," said Mal. "I just want one more moment with my friend before I go."

"Friend? Is that what you think of me? Your friend?" Carlos questioned her. "I spent months trying to change myself for the better, and I did. But you... you took everything away from me. My confidence. My sanity. My relationship."

"I'm sorry," said Mal.

"No, you don't get to say that to me," said Carlos, refusing to believe she is being honest about her apology.

Carlos turns around and walks away, only for a hand to grab his and stop him. He turns around to see Mal slowly moving closer towards him. She puts her other hand on the hand she was already holding. She then places both their hands on his chest as she leans closer. Her eyes sparkled, signalling incoming build-up of tears. Her pout was genuine, not faked, he could tell.

She leans closer, expecting Carlos to see the shame in her eyes. Carlos, however, frees his hand from her grip and walks away, refusing to let her come closer or prove herself.

"If you want the _item_ , you'll find it in the empty vase in your room at the castle," Carlos said, just in case Mal came to him about her request.

Carlos walks down the bleachers and heads back to the school, ignoring Mal. Mal sniffs suddenly, meaning she was on the verge of crying. She wipes her eyes dry and tries to keep a straight face, refusing to show any weakness. It was hard, because Carlos was afraid of her. She knows she is responsible for his fear, and she couldn't ignore her guilt over it.

One tear escaped her eye, and she didn't bother to wipe it.

* * *

Mal was on her way to her dorm to talk to Evie when she ran into another familiar face. Freddie Facilier. She was waiting for her, again. She didn't look happy. She was feeling down and shuffling her cards slowly. Mal can guess that she's bothered by the fact that she is leaving.

"You gonna miss me?" Mal asked.

"Kinda," said Freddie. "I know this sounds sappy of me, but you've been a real friend to me, no matter what you did."

"I'm surprised you don't hate me," said Mal.

"Oh, I do hate you, especially for the whole kidnapping-and-trapping-us-underground thing," said Freddie. "But you treated me like an equal and..." She trailed off all of a sudden.

"It's not just me leaving that's bothering you, is it?" Mal guessed, reading Freddie's face.

"Is it wrong that I miss CJ?" Freddie asked. "Don't get me wrong. She was terrible. Treating me like a sidekick instead of a partner. But..."

"She was the closest you had to a friend growing up," said Mal. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Freddie. "Auradon's saved and that's all that matters, right? That what an Auradonian say, after all."

Mal smiled a bit. She then reaches into her jacket and pulls out the tiki necklace that was given to her by the voodoo artist.

"Keep it," said Freddie. "You never know when you need it."

"Take care, Freddie," said Mal.

Mal and Freddie shake hands before the purple-haired sorceress proceeded to her dorm, or rather, Evie's dorm. After all, she is leaving Auradon.

"Oh, you won't find Evie in your room," Freddie said. "She's at the castle."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal arrives at her room at Beast Castle. She finds Evie packing up her stuff. The look on the blue-haired narcissist's face tells Mal that she was mad at her. Mal was really surprised by how hostile Evie has been with her as of late. Sure, her actions would make even her closest friends despise her in a way, but she expected Evie to still be hoping that she's still the same Mal she's always been. Why would she lose faith in her?

"You going somewhere?" Mal joked.

"No, you are," Evie replied seriously, putting the last of Mal's clothes in her suitcase.

"Evie, I know you're still livid at me," said Mal. "But how about you let it out on me before I go? I'm sure it'll make you feel better. It certainly made the boys feel better to berate me."

Evie refused to speak to her. She just adjusts the sorceress' stuff in the suitcase before shutting it.

"Evie, I'm sorry," Mal said as loud as she can without shouting. "I know it's too late, but I am."

"I know," said Evie.

"Then why are you being uncharacteristically unforgiving? That's my thing," Mal asked, confused.

"Because you pushed me," Evie said, turning around to face her ex-friend. "The lies and secrets, that's why I had to lock you up, even if it was the wrong move. Then you betrayed us... hurt us... you tortured Carlos. I don't think he's ever gonna sleep well again for the rest of his life no matter how comfortable his pillow is."

"So, that is what this is all about, isn't it?" Mal asked. "It's about Carlos."

"It's about you breaking the trust between us," said Evie, walking towards her friend so she can see and hear her clearly. "We're best friends, Mal. I'd lay down my life for you any time, any day. Well, those days are over. I'm grateful for you rescuing us from CJ, but I'm not grateful enough to forget about everything you did. I want to forgive you, Mal, but I can't. If I do, it just means I don't care whatever you do. You could curse this land and I would still be your best friend. I don't want to be like that no matter how much I care about you."

"Aww, nice to know you still care," Mal commented.

"Is everything a joke to you? How could death turn you into an unsympathetic monster?" Evie asked.

Mal was further surprised by Evie's hostility. Even Evie was surprised. She covers her mouth, shocked that she would call Mal such a thing. Did she really despise her that much?

"Is that all?" Mal asked, trying to appear unaffected by the insult.

Evie removes her hand from her mouth and says, "Yes, that's all."

"No, it's not," said Mal, knowing that Evie is lying. "E, I'm going away, probably forever. I think it's best if we put all cards on the table before we say goodbye."

"Why?" Evie asked. "Why did you do what you did in the tunnels? You tricked me into picking Carlos and sacrificing the others. I thought that I've damned my boyfriend and my friends to hell. Yet, they were rescued by Ben at just the right time."

"It was me," Mal confessed.

"What was the point of that sick game if no one was gonna die?" Evie asked.

"That sick game had three purposes," said Mal. "To save all of you. To show you that I'm dead serious about my decision. And to teach you a lesson."

"What lesson?" Evie asked, confused.

"Never mind. You haven't learned it," said Mal.

"Well, all your stuff is ready," said Evie, gesturing to the suitcase. "Anything else you'd like to say?"

Mal didn't say anything and just hugged Evie, much to the surprise of the latter. Evie didn't want to hug her back, but she was tempted to. To make sure she didn't look like she was succumbing to this kind act, she just pats Mal in the back.

"Take care of Carlos," said Mal.

Evie was about to say something, but Mal was already walking out of the room with her suitcase.

* * *

Ben goes to his office to sign the last paper of the day. When he opened the door, he found Mal sitting on his chair behind his desk. On the desk was the engagement ring. Ben wasn't too surprised since he had just announced that he was banishing Mal to the Isle of the Lost for life, meaning they won't be getting married anymore. It saddened him, though. To think, they were both excited, yet their love fell apart fast.

"I'm proud of you," said Mal.

"For what?" asked Ben.

"For choosing your people over me," Mal answered. "I may be furious with you, but I'm impressed you had the guts to do what you needed to do."

"I didn't want it to end this way, Mal," said Ben. "But..."

"I know. You're the king. He must always put his people's needs ahead of his own," Mal interrupted. "I think it just sucks when you have to be selfless all the time."

"I wish things could be different, but the people have spoken and they would be disappointed in me if I just pardon you for mass murder and kidnapping," said Ben.

"Yeah, well, _I'm_ disappointed in you," said Mal honestly. "Just because I prefer to be on my own, it doesn't mean I prefer to be locked up on my own in that miserable hellhole."

"I am truly sorry, Mal," said Ben regrettably.

"Too late for that," Mal said despite his honesty. "Like it's too late for me."

"I still believe there's good in you," said Ben honestly. "You came to rescue us because you care about us. You could've just ignored us or end Carlos out of necessity, yet you stood up to CJ and fought to save us. All of us. If that doesn't make you a hero, I don't know what will."

Mal slams her hand on the desk, triggered by the word _hero_.

"I crushed on Zevon under my boot because I wanted to. I left that insane pirate to drown because I hate her. I'm far from a hero, Ben," she said, doubting herself.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless, I'll always believe in you, Mal," said Ben. "If I didn't, then I'd lying if I say, I love you."

Mal smiled a little, knowing that those words remain the truth. It made Ben feel a little better that Mal still knows his love for her has never died. Mal then looks at the gold signet ring on her finger. She twirls it as she smile on her face dropped. Ben knew he had to ask for the engagement ring back, but he hasn't thought about what to do with the family ring. Now, he has a thought.

"You can keep that if you want," he said to her with a smile. "That way, I know there's no hard feelings between us."

"Actually, I was gonna give it back to you," said Mal. "I just wanted to tell you face-to-face."

"Why?" Ben asked. "I mean, I know what I did infuriates you, but why?"

Mal stands up and walks up to Ben for an up-close confession. She puts both her hands on his face and affectionately rubs his cheeks with her thumbs.

"Ben, I love you and nothing in this world can ever change that," Mal started. "You changed my life for the better. You showed me a new path. You convinced me that there's more to life than being evil. You taught me to follow my heart. I can never repay you for that."

"But?" Ben asked, expecting more.

"If I keep this ring during my lifetime imprisonment, I'm forever anchored to you and I can't live like that," said Mal. "If I'm gonna go through this, I want to go through it on my own. I will always remember and love you, Ben, but I don't need a ring to remind me of you."

Ben's face drops upon hearing these words. He really wished she would keep his ring as a reminder, because he wanted to know every day that she will always love him. Mal didn't want to see him frown before she leaves, so she did the only thing she could do.

She kissed him.

As always, Ben would never hesitate to return the favor. He needed this, as she does as well. It hurts to say goodbye, but this moment would made it hurt less.

After the kiss, Mal leaves the room. As she walked away, Ben can feel something put in his hand. He opens his hand and sees his signet ring. Mal did want to return it, after all. Still, to see it in his hand and not on Mal's finger, it made his heart ache.

"Mal," he called her.

Mal stopped before he could close the door.

"I love you," said Ben.

"I love you, too," Mal said with a small smile.

* * *

A limo arrives at Beast Castle to take Mal back to the Isle of the Lost. After putting her suitcase in the trunk, she boards the vehicle, but not before looking back at Ben and his parents, who came to see her off. Evie was watching from inside through a window. She looked away when Mal saw her. Without further ado, Mal enters the limo.

Ben hanged his head as he watched the limo drive away.

"We'll miss her too, Ben," said Belle, trying to comfort her son.

"We owe her so much. That hasn't changed," said Beast.

"Thanks, both of you," said Ben, feeling grateful as he tries to smile.

"If we're lucky, maybe the universe will reunite you two one day," said Belle. "Nothing lasts forever except love."

"I agree," said Beast, kissing wife's hand.

Ben can only hope that, one day, he would see the woman he loves again. He may have made the choice to banish her, but it was not enough to dampen his spirit.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

In the limo, Mal was looking into her spell book, which she retrieved from The Lost Pearl before it sank into the maelstrom, for a certain spell she needed. She flips the pages until she found what she was looking for. She closes the book as she takes a deep breath, waiting for the right time. Looking out the window, she can see trees, meaning they with no sign of human life nearby, meaning the vehicle was nearing Auradon Bay. Mal closes her eyes and chants an incantation.

"With these words, I put you to sleep, forget everything in a beep."

Magically, the limo driver falls asleep and his face falls on wheel, sounding the horn. Mal opens the driver's window with her magic and moves the driver's head off the wheel, silencing the limo's horn.

"Sleep tight," Mal joked.

Mal leaves the limo and heads deep into the woods. She stops walking when she finally found an open space. Just as she was about to do what she was about to do, she could hear birds chirping nearby. Unwilling to risk having witnesses, she scares them away by igniting her hand. As soon as there were no more birds or any kind of animal in the vicinity, Mal focused on what she needed to do.

Mal reaches into her jacket and pulls out what appears to be a hand-sized coffin. Inside the coffin was CJ, shrunken to a size small enough to fit in the coffin.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

 _One day ago..._

 _Mal had just crushed a shrunken Zevon under her shoe, reducing him to nothingness. She felt nothing. No remorse or disgust for what she did. Remembering that The Lost Pear was only seconds away from sinking into the maelstrom completely, she returns her attention to the unconscious CJ, who was still glued to the mast via magic._

 _"I wish I could kill you, but I think you're more useful to me alive," said Mal._

 _She waves her finger as she cites an incantation._

 _"What you see and can't see with your eyes, shrink my enemy down to size."_

 _Mal casts her spell and shrinks CJ into the same size Zevon was recently. Mal catches the shrunken pirate before she fell to the floor. She quickly poofs up a hand-sized coffin and places CJ in it. She stores the coffin in her jacket and then vanishes, teleporting herself off The Lost Pearl as it sank deeper into the maelstrom._

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal uses her sword to cut a square on the grass. Using her magic, the square piece of grass and dirt levitated and left a hole in the ground. Mal gently places the coffin in the hole. She then casts three more spells. The first spell was sleeping spell, to ensure CJ remains asleep for a very long time. The second spell was a protection spell, to make sure CJ's body doesn't decay from lack of food, water, and oxygen. The third spell created a magical barrier to protect the coffin should anyone happen to stumble upon it. Before she buried the coffin, she spoke to the blonde pirate.

"Thank you," she said with pure honesty. "In your own twisted way, you did help me find an answer to who I am. It is only because of that I am sparing your life. 'Til next time, old friend."

Mal buries the coffin and then leaves the forest.

* * *

Mal returns to the limo and wakes up the driver, who had no memory of falling asleep. She simply told him that he dozed off. The driver continues his way to the Isle of the Lost. He deactivates the barrier with the remote, which Mal also recovered from The Lost Pearl prior to its destruction, and drives the daughter of Maleficent to Bargain Castle.

All eyes were on the black luxurious vehicle as Mal exited it. She can see Uma, Harry, Gil, and Ginny in the crowd. All of them, except for Gil, were not at all happy to see, for obvious reasons. Gil was just surprised she was back.

"Welcome back, my dear," Yen Sid greeted as he approached the young sorceress. "I am so sorry to hear about your banishment."

"It doesn't matter," said Mal. "I'm home."

"And in charge," Yen Sid added. "I guess this is the part where someone says, _All Hail Queen Mal of the Isle_."

The crowd around the limo bowed before their new queen. Uma, however, refused to do so, still angry at her purple-haired nemesis for taking away her position as ruler of the Isle. Mal ignored the sea witch's glare and turns to the elderly apprentice of Merlin.

"That's not necessary, Yen Sid," she said. "You may rise."

Yen Sid ceases his bowing.

"There's going to be some changes around here," said Mal. "I may be banished from Auradon for life, but King Ben himself has agreed to meet my demands should I have any."

"Well, should you need any assistance, I would be more than happy to lend my services," said Yen Sid.

Mal smirked, happy to know she has some support during her lifetime imprisonment.

"You may all return to your homes," Mal said to everyone. "Get some rest, as I must myself."

* * *

Mal arrives at her bedroom in the castle. Had it not been three months since she last saw it, she would feel like it's been a lifetime since she's been here. Opening her suitcase, she takes out a pen and her diary. She had so many thoughts that she needed to release and she could only do that in the form of written words. Sitting down on her bed, she opens her diary (which no longer had a magical lock since she will be once again living inside the barrier surrounding the Isle) and starts writing her latest entry.

 _"Dear Diary,  
_

 _It has been a terrible day, to say the least. I spent most of my day in the cathedral, doing nothing but wallowing in self-pity and drowning my sorrow in strawberry cider. I really love that stuff. The confession went off horribly. I guess I shouldn't have hired a priestess who only helps snotty little children for guidance. As if falling asleep because of my long, boring prayers wasn't bad enough, the man I love banished me to the Isle of the Lost for all eternity. The nerve of him._

 _Maybe I deserved this, but I still can't believe this is what my life has come to. Then again, I've hurt my best friends and almost got them killed. There is no forgiveness for that, not that I deserve any. Evie has been unusually rancorous against me. Jay blames me for his sort-of girlfriend almost dying. Carlos... I've traumatized him, turned him back to that cowardly momma's boy he was before he came to Auradon. As for Ben, he and I ended things on a bittersweet note. That note, however, leans more towards the bitter side because of one thing. I lied to him about the real reason I wanted to return the ring._

 _Believe it or not, Ben isn't the only man I love. Even if I were to be trapped here on the Isle forever, if I wore his ring and become tied to him for all time, my heart won't be able to take it. I love Ben, but I have yet to resolve my feelings for this other special someone, nor would I ever will._

 _On the plus side, I am now the queen of my prison. Why is that a plus, you may ask? Well, there is a reason I chose to battle Uma for the crown. It wasn't just to humiliate her, which was so much fun. I did it because I found an answer of some sort of to the question, 'Who do I want to be?' CJ sort of helped with that, believe it or not. She brought my wicked roots to the light and it helped me find some clarity, well, a twisted kind of clarity, but it's clarity nonetheless. The Isle of the Lost is the place I grew up in. I spent my entire life watching those around me suffer, partly because of me, of course. In my prayers, I mentioned about my home and how horrible it is. It made me realize that I do have a purpose to serve. Uma may want the same thing for the Isle, but I prefer to use my direction to help the poor unfortunate souls who live in his wasteland. And yes, I did mean to quote Uma's mother._

 _I won't be trapped here forever, though. I just know that, one of these days, I will be back in Auradon. If they think all the chaos is over now, they thought wrong. They will need me, and I'll make them see that._

 _Until then, I'm gonna be looking out for myself. Sure, I have people to serve and the Anti-Heroes Club to help me, but no matter what, it will always be the same as it is before. Just me. Alone._

 _'Til tomorrow  
\- Mal"_

Mal closes her diary and puts it down. She turns to her suitcase and picks up a little device with colorful buttons on it. It was the _item_ that she asked Carlos to make for her. Secretly, of course. Carlos' anti-magic device proved that he cracked the code on how to manipulate magic using technology, so she asked him to create a device that can collect invisible magical particles out of thin air. When she he went to see Evie, she found the item in the vase and then used it at the Museum of Cultural History. The magical particles she collected belonged to the destroyed Dragon's Egg, her mother's talisman. She then transferred those particles to her dragon-shaped necklace, the one her mother gave to her as a gift.

The magic of the infamous Dragon's Eye Scepter, stored within her necklace, in the palm of her hand. Now that she's back on the Isle of the Lost, the magic trapped within was dormant but still present. As long as she has the jewel with her, she knows that her mother's power was in her possession.

"You're a good boy, Carlos," she said with a smirk.

Thinking about Carlos made her pick up a certain picture from her suitcase. It was a picture of her with Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben during the Cotillion. Oh, how wet they were that night from all the splashing and partying. The memory brought a smile to her face. However, that smile died when she remembered where she is. She is hundreds of miles away from them. She will probably never see them again, and she can only blame herself and her wicked ways for landing herself back "home."

"So many ways to be wicked," she whispered to herself.

Mal could no longer remain emotionally subtle and surrendered to her sadness. She starts to cry, letting the tears rain down her cheeks. She didn't care if anyone saw her or not. She could no longer hold back her emotions even if she wanted to. Locked up far away from her loved ones, all she can do is cry.

 **THE END**

 **I know this is a very sad ending, but a happy ending was never an option for a story titled "Long Live Evil." I still hoped that this was, in a way, a fitting ending.**

 **I have to apologize to fans of Bal and Janlos. I know it's heartbreaking to see their romances end, but I knew that when I was writing it. I still hope that I did a good job at making their romances convincing (especially Carlos and Jane). It is your choice whether or not you still want to follow the rest of my series in spite of this.**

 **Oh, and if you're gonna leave a review, would you mind answering the questions below? I would really appreciate it. (You don't have to answer all if it's too much)**

 **1\. What did you think of CJ in this story? Was she an okay villain? Was she a well-developed character?**

 **2\. What did you think about Mal's journey from start to finish?**

 **3\. How did the flashbacks (Chapters 21-30) affect your perspective on the present day events?**

 **4\. What did you think about the revelation of CJ's fate in this chapter?**

 **Oh, and one more thing. There's gonna be a sequel. Part 3 of my "Forever Wicked" series. It'll come some time on January 2018. I hope you can wait until then. It's an episodic story and I have a lot of planning to do.**


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